Enterasys Networks, Inc.

Bradford Networks, Inc.

Paula Jane Dunigan

James P Richmond

Steven A Pettit

John Roese

David L Kjendal

Frank D Andrus

Paul Playdon

Todd R Wohlers

Alan R Hackert

A system and method for network control supporting network endpoints including devices and users that delegates control from the Administrator to Sponsors, leveraging their particular skills. For embodiments, Profiles comprise a set of specifications which define the scope of control or authority. Their application comprises associating Templates/Rules with the Profiles. The Administrator creates Sponsor Users (Sponsors) from users with administrative privileges. The Administrator delegates network management workload by assigning Profiles to Sponsors, defining Sponsors' control. Sponsors thereby manage pieces of the overall workload. The Administrator can also view reports and audit trails for both the Sponsors and network resources.

System and method for offloading IT network tasks

The present invention provides a method and system for controlling usage of network resources on a communications network. The method comprising acts of: (a) creating one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communications network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition; and (b) creating one or more service abstractions associated with a user of the communication network, each service abstraction representing a named set of one or more of the packet rules. In some embodiments one or more role abstractions may be created, each role abstraction representing a role of a user with respect to the communications network, and each role abstraction including a set of one or more packet rules, and possibly one or more service abstractions.

Creating, modifying and storing service abstractions and role abstractions representing one or more packet rules

A user's usage of network resources is controlled, after the user has been authenticated, without using any network resources beyond the user's entry point to the network. Packet rules may be provisioned to the user's entry point to the network, and the packet rules may be applied to each packet received from the user before any network resources beyond the entry point are used. These packet rules may be associated with an identity of the user and then provisioned to the user's entry point in response to the user being authenticated. Usage of network resources of a communications network by a user beyond a network device of the communications network that serves as the user's entry point to the communications network is controlled. The port module of the network device is configured with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user. A packet is received from a device used by the user at the port module, and, before using any of the network resources beyond the network device, the one or more packet rules are applied to the received packet. Another embodiment is provided for controlling usage of network resources of a communications network by a user. The user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition. A packet including identification information of the user is received from a device of the user at a port module of a network device. The assigned role of the user is determined based on the identification information, and the port module is configured with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user.

Controlling usage of network resources by a user at the user's entry point to a communications network based on an identity of the user

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Deerfield, NH, United States of America

Paula Jane Dunigan