Abstract: A unified architecture for enabling remote access to a network is provided. The network may comprise, as examples, a virtual private network (VPN) and/or a peer-to-peer network. In one embodiment, the architecture includes components installed on a client device/node and a gateway/supernode. Components implemented on the client device may facilitate access in a manner similar to that of a traditional VPN, while components on the gateway may facilitate access in a manner similar to an application proxy. Communication between the client device and gateway may occur, as an example, via a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communication protocol.

Abstract: A policy server program evaluates one or more policy statements based on the group or groups to which a user belongs as well as other conditions. Each policy statement expresses an implementation of the access policy of the network, and is associated with a profile. The profile contains one or more actions that are to be applied to the user. The policy server program determines the identity of the group or groups to which the user belongs by referencing one or more group attributes contained in a user object which is located in a directory on the network. The user object and its group parameters are established when the user is added to the directory, while a policy statement for a group can be created at any time.

Abstract: A client quarantine agent requests bill of health from a quarantine server, and receives a manifest of checks that the client computer must perform. The quarantine agent then sends a status report on the checks back to the quarantine server. If the client computer is in a valid security state, the bill of health is issued to the client. If the client computer is in an invalid state, the client is directed to install the appropriate software/patches to achieve a valid state. When a client requests the use of network resources from a network administrator, the network administrator requests the client's bill of health. If the bill of health is valid, the client is admitted to the network. If the bill of health is invalid, the client is placed in quarantine.

Abstract: A system for maintaining network information. The system resides in a network comprising a plurality of sub-networks in communication with one another over a communications backbone. Each sub-network has a router for use in performing communications with other sub-networks. A directory service is linked to the communications backbone and includes a database. The database stores router attribute information that is published by each of the routers. Using a query engine associated with the directory service, meaningful information can be gathered from the database as a function of specified router attribute information.

Abstract: A policy server program evaluates one or more policy statements based on the group or groups to which a user belongs as well as other conditions. Each policy statement expresses an implementation of the access policy of the network, and is associated with a profile. The profile contains one or more actions that are to be applied to the user. The policy server program determines the identity of the group or groups to which the user belongs by referencing one or more group attributes contained in a user object which is located in a directory on the network. The user object and its group parameters are established when the user is added to the directory, while a policy statement for a group can be created at any time.

Abstract: A system for maintaining network information. The system resides in a network comprising a plurality of sub-networks in communication with one another over a communications backbone. Each sub-network has a router for use in performing communications with other sub-networks. A directory service is linked to the communications backbone and includes a database. The database stores router attribute information that is published by each of the routers. Using a query engine associated with the directory service, meaningful information can be gathered from the database as a function of specified router attribute information.

Abstract: A system for maintaining network information. The system resides in a network comprising a plurality of sub-networks in communication with one another over a communications backbone. Each sub-network has a router for use in performing communications with other sub-networks. A directory service is linked to the communications backbone and includes a database. The database stores router attribute information that is published by each of the routers. Using a query engine associated with the directory service, meaningful information can be gathered from the database as a function of specified router attribute information.