Abstract: A hosted network management solution for communications over a computer network supports data communication across a network in accordance with a network message protocol such that communications are established between a network host and a node device. The and the node device performs a self-configuring operation in which the network host identifies a network owner associated with the hosted network, and maintains a persistent network connection path between the network host and the node device for the exchange of network packet messages. The network host retrieves message data from the network packet messages it receives from the node device and performs network management operations to provide a user management interface to the identified network owner. The hosted network management enables more convenient setup and configuration for the network owner and provides more complete and effective network management tools.

Abstract: A method in a wireless sensing device for authenticating a gateway device of a sensor network is described. The method includes receiving a certificate where the certificate was generated by the management server upon a determination that the gateway device and the wireless sensing device are associated and is a digital document including data and a digital signature, where the digital signature was generated by the management server based on the data and a private key of the management server, and where the data includes a first identifier and a second identifier; confirming that the wireless sensing device is authorized to upload data to the gateway device; in response to the confirming that the wireless sensing device is authorized to upload data to the gateway device, uploading to the gateway device data indicative of a plurality of sensor measurements taken over time to be transmitted to the management server.

Abstract: A network access device (NAD) receives a UDP packet from a client to be transmitted to a management server over Internet, the UDP packet including a management message. The NAD is one of NADs managed by the management server. The NAD determines whether the management server is reachable using a UDP protocol. The NAD transmits the UDP packet to the management server using the UDP protocol over the Internet if it is determined that the management server is reachable using the UDP protocol. Otherwise, the NAD extracts a UDP payload from the UDP packet, encapsulates the UDP payload within an HTTP POST request, and transmits the HTTP POST request having the UDP payload encapsulated therein to the management server using a HTTP protocol over the Internet.

Abstract: Techniques for managing access control policies are described herein. According to one embodiment, access control policies (ACPs) and access control rules (ACRs) are downloaded from a management server to a network access device (NAD) over the Internet, where the network access device is one of a plurality of network access devices managed by the management server over the Internet. In response to a request from a network client device for entering a network, a device type of the network client device is detected and an ACP identifier is determined based on the device type using the ACRs An ACP is selected from the ACPs based on the ACP identifier and enforced against the network client device. At least the selected ACP is reported to the management server to distribute the selected ACP to other network access devices.

Abstract: A managed network provides unique network addresses that are assigned to nodes such that no two nodes will have the same address in the managed network and such that each node will always have the same network address regardless of changing its location or changing the network to which it is joined. The nodes, communicating together, comprise a mesh network. Remote management and control of the nodes is possible from the host server, which is located outside of the mesh network, even if a node is located behind a firewall or network address translator (NAT), because server management messages are encapsulated within headers so that a persistent connection between the node and the external host server is maintained once the node sends a message to the host.

Abstract: A network access device (NAD) receives a UDP packet from a client to be transmitted to a management server over Internet, the UDP packet including a management message. The NAD is one of NADs managed by the management server. The NAD determines whether the management server is reachable using a UDP protocol. The NAD transmits the UDP packet to the management server using the UDP protocol over the Internet if it is determined that the management server is reachable using the UDP protocol. Otherwise, the NAD extracts a UDP payload from the UDP packet, encapsulates the UDP payload within an HTTP POST request, and transmits the HTTP POST request having the UDP payload encapsulated therein to the management server using a HTTP protocol over the Internet.

Abstract: A managed network receives client device requests for network addresses for communications over the managed network and computes a network address for a client device based on a hardware address of the client device, such as the MAC address of the client device, and returns the network address to the client device along with a predetermined gateway address for communications over the managed network with external networks. The MAC address is hashed to the network address that is assigned such that the client address will always receive the same network address whenever it accesses the managed network.

Abstract: Techniques for managing access control policies are described herein. According to one embodiment, access control policies (ACPs) and access control rules (ACRs) are downloaded from a management server to a network access device (NAD) over the Internet, where the network access device is one of a plurality of network access devices managed by the management server over the Internet. In response to a request from a network client device for entering a network, a device type of the network client device is detected and an ACP identifier is determined based on the device type using the ACRs An ACP is selected from the ACPs based on the ACP identifier and enforced against the network client device. At least the selected ACP is reported to the management server to distribute the selected ACP to other network access devices.

Abstract: A system for streaming packet captures over the Internet includes multiple network access devices, each operating as one of a gateway device, a wireless access point, and a network switch, and a management server communicatively coupled to the network access devices over the Internet for managing the network access devices. The management server maintains a persistent hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) connection with each of the network access devices over the Internet. The management server is to generate a bytecode based on a filtering expression for packet captures (PCAPs) representing one or more PCAPs filtering rules, transmit the bytecode to the network access devices without requiring the network access devices to compile the PCAPs filtering rules, receive PCAPs from the network access devices captured by the network access devices based on the PCAPs filtering rules, and merge the PCAPs received from the network access devices into merged PCAPs.

Abstract: A system for streaming packet captures over the Internet includes multiple network access devices, each operating as one of a gateway device, a wireless access point, and a network switch, and a management server communicatively coupled to the network access devices over the Internet for managing the network access devices. The management server maintains a persistent hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) connection with each of the network access devices over the Internet. The management server is to generate a bytecode based on a filtering expression for packet captures (PCAPs) representing one or more PCAPs filtering rules, transmit the bytecode to the network access devices without requiring the network access devices to compile the PCAPs filtering rules, receive PCAPs from the network access devices captured by the network access devices based on the PCAPs filtering rules, and merge the PCAPs received from the network access devices into merged PCAPs.

Abstract: A management server includes a configuration and management module processing server configuration information, including a VPN peer list and VLAN/subnet settings. The management server automatically calculates the VPN configuration information, including the VPN peer subnet route information identifying which of the subnets participating in the VPN are behind which of the routers and keys to establish VPN tunnels between those routers participating in the VPN. Each of the routers participating in the VPN includes a VPN tunnel with the other routers participating in the VPN, a set of data structures storing data identifying contact information for each of the subnets participating in the VPN, a combination of an IP address and port to reach one of routers that that subnet is behind, and a forwarding module to forward traffic between the subnets.

Abstract: A management server includes a configuration and management module processing server configuration information, including a VPN peer list and VLAN/subnet settings. The management server automatically calculates the VPN configuration information, including the VPN peer subnet route information identifying which of the subnets participating in the VPN are behind which of the routers and keys to establish VPN tunnels between those routers participating in the VPN. Each of the routers participating in the VPN includes a VPN tunnel with the other routers participating in the VPN, a set of data structures storing data identifying contact information for each of the subnets participating in the VPN, a combination of an IP address and port to reach one of routers that that subnet is behind, and a forwarding module to forward traffic between the subnets.

Abstract: A system for streaming packet captures over the Internet includes multiple network access devices, each operating as one of a gateway device, a wireless access point, and a network switch, and a management server communicatively coupled to the network access devices over the Internet for managing the network access devices. The management server maintains a persistent hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) connection with each of the network access devices over the Internet. The management server is to generate a bytecode based on a filtering expression for packet captures (PCAPs) representing one or more PCAPs filtering rules, transmit the bytecode to the network access devices without requiring the network access devices to compile the PCAPs filtering rules, receive PCAPs from the network access devices captured by the network access devices based on the PCAPs filtering rules, and merge the PCAPs received from the network access devices into merged PCAPs.

Abstract: A hosted network management solution for communications over a computer network supports data communication across a network in accordance with a network message protocol such that communications are established between a network host and a node device. The and the node device performs a self-configuring operation in which the network host identifies a network owner associated with the hosted network, and maintains a persistent network connection path between the network host and the node device for the exchange of network packet messages. The network host retrieves message data from the network packet messages it receives from the node device and performs network management operations to provide a user management interface to the identified network owner. The hosted network management enables more convenient setup and configuration for the network owner and provides more complete and effective network management tools.

Abstract: Techniques for managing access control policies are described herein. According to one embodiment, access control policies (ACPs) and access control rules (ACRs) are downloaded from a management server to a network access device (NAD) over the Internet, where the network access device is one of a plurality of network access devices managed by the management server over the Internet. In response to a request from a network client device for entering a network, a device type of the network client device is detected and an ACP identifier is determined based on the device type using the ACRs An ACP is selected from the ACPs based on the ACP identifier and enforced against the network client device. At least the selected ACP is reported to the management server to distribute the selected ACP to other network access devices.

Abstract: A network access device (NAD) receives a UDP packet from a client to be transmitted to a management server over Internet, the UDP packet including a management message. The NAD is one of NADs managed by the management server. The NAD determines whether the management server is reachable using a UDP protocol. The NAD transmits the UDP packet to the management server using the UDP protocol over the Internet if it is determined that the management server is reachable using the UDP protocol. Otherwise, the NAD extracts a UDP payload from the UDP packet, encapsulates the UDP payload within an HTTP POST request, and transmits the HTTP POST request having the UDP payload encapsulated therein to the management server using a HTTP protocol over the Internet.

Abstract: A managed network provides unique network addresses that are assigned to nodes such that no two nodes will have the same address in the managed network and such that each node will always have the same network address regardless of changing its location or changing the network to which it is joined. The nodes, communicating together, comprise a mesh network. Remote management and control of the nodes is possible from the host server, which is located outside of the mesh network, even if a node is located behind a firewall or network address translator (NAT), because server management messages are encapsulated within headers so that a persistent connection between the node and the external host server is maintained once the node sends a message to the host.

Abstract: A hosted network management solution for communications over a computer network supports data communication across a network in accordance with a network message protocol such that communications are established between a network host and a node device. The and the node device performs a self-configuring operation in which the network host identifies a network owner associated with the hosted network, and maintains a persistent network connection path between the network host and the node device for the exchange of network packet messages. The network host retrieves message data from the network packet messages it receives from the node device and performs network management operations to provide a user management interface to the identified network owner. The hosted network management enables more convenient setup and configuration for the network owner and provides more complete and effective network management tools.

Abstract: A managed network provides unique network addresses that are assigned to nodes such that no two nodes will have the same address in the managed network and such that each node will always have the same network address regardless of changing its location or changing the network to which it is joined. The nodes, communicating together, comprise a mesh network. Remote management and control of the nodes is possible from the host server, which is located outside of the mesh network, even if a node is located behind a firewall or network address translator (NAT), because server management messages are encapsulated within headers so that a persistent connection between the node and the external host server is maintained once the node sends a message to the host.

Abstract: A management server includes a configuration and management module processing server configuration information, including a VPN peer list and VLAN/subnet settings. The management server automatically calculates the VPN configuration information, including the VPN peer subnet route information identifying which of the subnets participating in the VPN are behind which of the routers and keys to establish VPN tunnels between those routers participating in the VPN. Each of the routers participating in the VPN includes a VPN tunnel with the other routers participating in the VPN, a set of data structures storing data identifying contact information for each of the subnets participating in the VPN, a combination of an IP address and port to reach one of routers that that subnet is behind, and a forwarding module to forward traffic between the subnets.