Juniper Networks, Inc.

Paul Fraley

Philip Austin Shafer

Kent A Watsen

Simon John Gerraty

Darren Christopher Tom

Simon J Gerraty

Darren Tom

In general, the invention is directed to techniques for establishing secure connections with devices residing behind a security device. In accordance with the techniques, a managed device initiates a transmission control protocol (TCP) session to establish a TCP session with a management device such that the management device acts as the TCP server and the managed device acts as a TCP client. Once established, the managed device sends a role reversal message specifying an identity of the managed device via the TCP session. Upon receiving the role reversal message, the management device initiates a secure connection over the TCP session in accordance with a secure protocol such that the management device acts as the secure protocol client and the managed device acts as the secure protocol server. By properly establishing the secure session, each of the devices assumes the proper roles and administrators may more easily configure the devices.

Server initiated secure network connection

A configuration is identified as a rescue configuration. The identified rescue configuration is stored in a storage device (if it is not already stored). The stored rescue configuration may then be used to configure an apparatus, such as a router, in response to a rescue command. Identifying a particular configuration as a rescue configuration can be done by a manual command. The identifying may be limited such that it is effected only if performed by an authorized user. Alternatively, the identification of a configuration as the rescue configuration can be done automatically. For example, an automatic rollback to a known functioning configuration can occur automatically (e.g., in response to a rescue command). A configuration may be determined to be the known functioning configuration using various factors.

Rescue configuration

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Paul Fraley