Method for managing a set of equipment and equipment implementing such a method.

Abstract

A method for managing a set of equipment comprises the following steps, implemented by at least one piece of equipment in the set: - receiving (E1) a list of equipment (LE) containing equipment that is part of the set, and a list of operations to be performed on at least some of the equipment in the set; - selecting (E2) at least one paired piece of equipment from the received list of equipment; and - transmitting (E4) said list of operations (LOP) to said at least one selected paired piece of equipment. This method is used for implementing remote maintenance operations on equipment in a network. See Fig. 2a for the abbreviated version.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing a set of equipment and equipment implementing such a method.

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of computer equipment management. In particular, it relates to a method for managing a set of equipment.

[0002] The invention applies in particular to the implementation of remote maintenance operations on equipment in a network. These maintenance operations are, for example, the updating of embedded software ("firmware" in English terminology) in equipment and / or parameters of the equipment.

[0003] Known equipment management techniques (device management in English terminology) make it possible in particular to carry out remote maintenance operations on a large number of massively distributed devices, such as television decoders or routers.

[0004] These maintenance operations are defined in standardized equipment management protocols, such as the TR-069 protocol, defined by the technical report developed by the Broadband Forum, entitled “CPE WAN Management Protocol”; OMA-DM, for “OMA-Device Management” defined by the OMA organization (for “Open Mobile Alliance”) or 0MA-LwM2M (for “Lightweight Machine to Machine”) also defined by the OMA.

[0005] Techniques are known for offloading the maintenance operations management server (or reference server) in a communications network, according to which this server determines a delegated device to which it delegates certain maintenance operations.

[0006] However, according to these techniques, the management server is still responsible for managing maintenance operations for all the network equipment. Indeed, the server must give instructions to the delegated equipment so that it implements a maintenance operation on at least one piece of equipment. In other words, the maintenance equipment ensures the implementation of the maintenance operation, but when the server has given it instructions. Thus, the server continues to manage the maintenance operations to be carried out itself.

[0007] The invention aims to improve the situation and proposes a method for managing a set of equipment making it possible to further relieve the management server, and thus reduce the costs linked to maintenance operations.

[0008] To this end, the invention aims, according to a first aspect, at a method for managing a set of equipment, the method comprising the following steps implemented by at least one piece of equipment in the set: - receipt of a list of equipment comprising equipment forming part of the equipment set, and a list of operations to be carried out on at least part of the equipment in the set; - selection of at least one peer device from the list of devices received; and - transmission of said list of operations to be carried out to said at least one selected peer device.

[0009] Thus, said at least one piece of equipment receiving a list of operations, such as maintenance operations, and a list of equipment, selects at least one even piece of equipment from this list and transmits to it the list of operations to be carried out on at least part of the equipment of the set of equipment.

[0010] The operation list and the equipment list may be received separately or at the same time.

[0011] It will be noted that the equipment itself selects said at least one even equipment, that is to say at least one piece of equipment with which it will communicate for the implementation of maintenance operations, in particular to send it the list of maintenance operations and for the validation of the list of maintenance operations. The equipment receiving the list of peer equipment and list of maintenance operations to be carried out, transmits the list of maintenance operations to the peer equipment that it has itself selected.

[0012] Thus, the list of maintenance operations to be carried out is broadcast to equipment in the fleet, without the management server having to transmit, itself, the list of maintenance operations to each of these equipments, and without it having to give instructions for transmitting the list of operations to each of the equipments in the fleet.

[0013] It will also be noted that the operation of transmitting the list of operations being delegated to said at least one piece of equipment in the set, the exchanges between the pieces of equipment in the set and the management server are reduced, which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the management server responsible for maintaining the network equipment and thus reduce the cost of the operator's infrastructures dedicated to maintaining the equipment.

[0014] Furthermore, the management server is relieved of the management of maintenance operations on at least some of the equipment. Indeed, in the method according to the invention, it is no longer necessary for the management server to give instructions to the equipment to which it transmits a list of maintenance operations, so that it transmits the maintenance operations to a piece of equipment.

[0015] According to one characteristic, the equipment forming part of the equipment list was initially selected, by the management server in charge of maintenance, randomly from the equipment in the set.

[0016] Thus, since the list of equipment is randomly selected, each equipment receives a different list of equipment. Consequently, a device having received a list of equipment is not aware of the lists of equipment received by the other devices. Thus, if a malicious device was part of the set of equipment, the security of the equipment in the set is not compromised.

[0017] It will be noted that each equipment present in the received equipment list being likely to be selected to become a peer equipment, is potentially a peer equipment. Thus, the received equipment list is called a potential peer equipment list (list of equipment comprising equipment potentially being peer equipment).

[0018] When a peer device is selected from the list of potential peer devices, it is introduced into a list of peer devices and removed from the list of potential peer devices.

[0019] Thus, the list of potential peer equipment and the list of peer equipment are dynamic.

[0020] According to one characteristic, the selection of at least one even device is repeated to form a list of even devices comprising at least a predetermined number (n) of even devices.

[0021] Thus, at least a predetermined number of devices are selected from the devices in the list of received devices or list of potential peer devices. The selected devices will form the list of peer devices.

[0022] In one embodiment, the selection of at least one even equipment comprises a random selection of said at least one even equipment from among the equipment in the list of potential even equipment.

[0023] According to one characteristic, the management method further comprises the association of a first obsolescence information with said at least one selected peer equipment, this first obsolescence information being representative of a time at which the peer equipment becomes an obsolete peer equipment.

[0024] As indicated above, a peer equipment of a list is a piece of equipment with which the equipment having the list can communicate, for example to participate in the implementation of maintenance operations, for example by receiving a list of maintenance operations and participating in the verification of a list of maintenance operations. An obsolete peer equipment is a piece of equipment which was in the past a peer equipment (and was therefore part of the list of peer equipment) and with which the equipment does not communicate at the present time. Indeed, a peer equipment becomes an obsolete peer equipment from the moment indicated by the first obsolescence information. From this moment, the peer equipment is deleted from the list of even equipment. Thus, the selection of an even equipment can be repeated to select an additional even equipment and add it to the list to replace the even equipment that has become obsolete, for example to wait for at least the predetermined number of equipment.

[0025] Note that each device has a list of potential peer devices, a list of peer devices, and a list of obsolete peer devices. Each device stores these lists in its memory.

[0026] The association of the obsolescence information with the peer equipment allows the equipment receiving the list of operations to interact with peer equipment different from the list of potential equipment and thus to transmit the list of maintenance operations to the different peer equipment in the list of peer equipment. In other words, the list of peer equipment is renewed.

[0027] According to another characteristic, the management method further comprises the association of a second obsolescence information with an obsolete peer equipment, this second obsolescence information being representative of a time at which the obsolete peer equipment is deleted from the list of obsolete peer equipment.

[0028] Thus, once this moment has passed, the equipment is no longer part of the lists of equipment recorded in the equipment, i.e. the list of potential peer equipment, the list of peer equipment and the list of obsolete peer equipment.

[0029] The management server sends a list of equipment to each new equipment in the network. According to one embodiment, the list of equipment can be sent periodically to the new equipment. As for the list of operations, it is sent by the server to each new equipment in the network but also to at least one equipment when the implementation of maintenance operations is necessary.

[0030] As indicated below, the list of potential peer equipment, the list of peer equipment and the list of obsolete peer equipment are dynamic. The number of equipment in each list of peer equipment is variable. It will nevertheless be noted that for certain embodiments of the management method, the number of equipment in the list of peers must be at least equal to the predetermined number n.

[0031] When the list of potential peer devices contains a number of devices less than a predefined minimum number, the device queries the peer devices in its list to obtain new potential peer devices and reach this predefined number of devices. For example, the device queries one by one, sequentially, the peer devices in its list. In response, each peer device sends to the device a potential peer device randomly selected from the devices in its own list of potential peer devices. According to another method of implementation, each peer device sends to the device at least one peer device from its list of peer devices. The device then checks whether the received peer device or potential peer device is present in its list of peers or its list of obsolete peers, and if the response is negative, it adds it to its list of potential peer devices.

[0032] The number of devices in the list of potential peer devices is variable and less than a predefined maximum number.

[0033] As for the list of even equipment, for certain operations, as will be described later, a predetermined number n of equipment is necessary. Therefore, for certain embodiments, the list of even equipment contains at least this predetermined number n of equipment. Thus, the predefined minimum number of equipment in the list of potential even equipment is greater than the predetermined number of equipment required in the list of even equipment.

[0034] According to one characteristic, the method further comprises receiving last operation information indicative of a time at which a last operation among the operations in the list of operations was created.

[0035] Thus, last operation information is associated with the list of operations received, the last operation information relating to the creation date of a maintenance operation.

[0036] It should be noted that obsolescence information is associated with each operation in the list of operations.

[0037] In one embodiment, information relating to the creation date of the operation and the obsolescence of the operation is determined by the management server. The server can thus control, among other things, the transmission of the operation lists and the speed at which the operation lists are transmitted to the network equipment.

[0038] Furthermore, as will be described later, a random code may be associated with the operation list. This random code is determined by the equipment that received the operation list. This random code is generated by the equipment for verification of an operation list.

[0039] The creation date of the operation corresponds to the time at which the management server determined that the operation was necessary for at least one device in the set of devices. Once the server has determined that an operation is necessary, it includes it in the list of operations that it will address to devices in the set.

[0040] According to one characteristic, when the list of maintenance operations is received from a piece of equipment in the set of equipment, the method further comprises verifying the list of maintenance operations.

[0041] It will be noted that the equipment of the set of equipment (or of the park equipment), can receive the list of maintenance operations from the management server or from other equipment in the equipment set.

[0042] When the list of operations comes from the management server, since verification of the list is not necessary, it is not implemented. The list of operations is thus broadcast to the peer devices without prior verification. However, when the list of operations comes from a device, checks are implemented to verify the devices in the list of peer devices that are up to date in the maintenance operations and that are not up to date, as well as to verify that the list of operations is not a fraudulent list of operations coming from a malicious device.

[0043] Equipment is up to date in maintenance operations when no maintenance operations are necessary, or in other words when the maintenance operations of a list having a creation date prior to the present moment have been implemented. These notions are, of course, known to those skilled in the art.

[0044] According to one characteristic, the verification of the list of operations comprises the identification of the equipment of the list of even equipment being up to date in the implementation of the operations of said list of operations.

[0045] According to one characteristic, the identification comprises: - the emission of commands intended respectively for each peer equipment in the list of peer equipment formed, the commands respectively requesting from the peer equipment information on the last operation representative of the time at which the last maintenance operation in the list of operations was created; and - receiving the last operation information from the peer devices respectively.

[0046] Thus, the equipment implementing the method requests each equipment in the equipment list to send it the information on the last operation in its list of operations. This information on the last operation corresponds to the most recent creation time of an operation in the list of operations.

[0047] According to one characteristic, the identification further comprises the comparison of each item of last operation information received with the last operation information recorded in the equipment receiving the last operation information, the identification of the even equipment being up to date being implemented according to the results of said comparisons.

[0048] According to one characteristic, when the last operation information recorded in the equipment receiving the last operation information is identical to the last operation information received from a number of even equipments less than the predetermined number (n), the verification further comprises the verification- verification of the validity of the operation list with the management server.

[0049] In other words, when according to the comparison, less than the predetermined number of devices n is up to date, the validity of the list of operations must be verified with the management server. Indeed, since a predetermined number of up-to-date devices is necessary to verify the validity of the list of operations, the verification of the list of operations can only be carried out by verifying it with the management server.

[0050] To verify the list with the management server, it is understood to request a new list of operations from the server. For this, the verification further comprises sending to the management server a command requesting a new list of operations.

[0051] According to one characteristic, when the last operation information recorded in the equipment receiving the last operation information is identical to the last operation information received from a number of even equipments greater than the predetermined number (n), the verification further comprises the verification of the validity of the list of operations.

[0052] Thus, when according to the comparison, more than the predetermined number of equipments are up to date, the validity of the operation list can be verified without calling the management server.

[0053] According to one characteristic, the verification of the validity of the list of operations comprises: - the generation of a random character string and the introduction of the character string into the list of recorded operations; - applying a hash function to the recorded maintenance operations list including the random character string; - transmission of the random character string to each identified up-to-date peer device; - the issuance of a command requesting each identified up-to-date peer device to apply said hash function to its list of operations including the received random character string; and - determining the list of operations as valid or fraudulent / invalid based on a set of results received from up-to-date peer equipment.

[0054] Thus, the equipment asks each equipment that has been identified as being up to date to include in its list of operations a random character string, to implement a hash function on its own list of operations including the character string, and to send it the result of the hash function. The random character string is generated by the equipment verifying the validity of the list of operations.

[0055] According to one characteristic, if during the determination of the validity, the result of the hash function obtained by at least a predetermined number (n) of even devices is identical to the result obtained by the device implementing the verification, the list of operations is determined as being valid.

[0056] In other words, if a predetermined number of devices obtains the same result as the device implementing the verification, the list of operations is valid. In this case, a predetermined number of devices validate the list of operations.

[0057] If, when determining the validity, the result of the hash function obtained by at least a predetermined number (n) of peer devices is different from the result obtained by the device implementing the verification, the list of operations is determined to be invalid (or fraudulent). An invalid list of operations is a list of operations considered to be potentially fraudulent, i.e. it has potentially been altered compared to the list of operations issued by the management server (by the operator). By verifying the list of operations, it is avoided to use a list of operations created or modified by a malicious device.

[0058] In other words, if a predetermined number of devices do not obtain the same result as the device implementing the verification, the list of operations is invalid. In this case, a predetermined number of devices invalidate the list of operations.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises: - the sending of a command to one of the peer devices for which the result obtained is different from the result obtained by the device implementing the verification, said command requesting its list of operations; and - repeating the verification of said list of operations using the list of operations received in response to said command.

[0060] In this embodiment, the equipment implementing the verification requests one of the equipments having invalidated its list of operations to send it the list of operations that it possesses. The equipment then implements the verification of the list of operations using this list of operations, without calling the management server.

[0061] In one embodiment, when the result of the hash function obtained is different from the result obtained by the equipment implementing the verification, for an equipment, the method further comprises the transmission of a command to the management server requesting a list of operations.

[0062] In this embodiment, the list of operations is determined to be invalid or fraudulent when the result of the hash function is different for a single device and the verification of the list is implemented with the server of management without waiting for the hash function results for the updated set of devices. This makes list verification faster and increases network security.

[0063] It should be noted that equipment for which the result of the hash function is different from the result obtained by the equipment implementing the verification is considered to be malicious equipment.

[0064] The characteristics of the monitoring method presented below can be taken in isolation or in combination with each other.

[0065] The present invention relates, according to a second aspect, to equipment forming part of a set of equipment, the set of equipment communicating with each other via a communication network, said equipment being characterized in that it comprises:

[0066] - a receiving module configured to receive a list of peer devices comprising equipment forming part of the equipment set, and a list of operations to be carried out on at least part of the equipment in the set;

[0067] - a selection module configured to select at least one even device among the received list of peer equipment; and

[0068] - a transmission module configured to transmit said list of operations to perform towards said at least one selected peer device.

[0069] The present invention relates, according to a third aspect, to a system comprising a set of equipment, at least one of the equipment being in accordance with the invention and a management server configured to manage said set of equipment.

[0070] The present invention relates, according to a third aspect, to a computer program capable of being implemented on equipment, the program comprising code instructions for implementing the steps of the management method according to the invention, when it is executed by a processor.

[0071] The present invention relates, according to a fourth aspect, to an information medium readable by a processor in equipment, on which is recorded a computer program comprising code instructions for implementing the steps of the management method according to the invention, when it is executed by the processor.

[0072] The equipment, the system, the computer program and the information medium have characteristics and advantages similar to those described previously in relation to the management method.

[0073] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below.

[0074] In the attached drawings, given as non-limiting examples:

[0075] [fig. 1] [fig.l] is a diagram representing a system for managing a set of equipment according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0076] [fig.2a] [fig.2a] illustrates steps of a management method according to an embodiment of the invention in the form of an exchange between the entities of [fig.l];

[0077] [fig.2b] [fig.2b] illustrates steps of a management method according to a second embodiment of the invention in the form of an exchange between the entities of [fig.l];

[0078] [fig.3a] [fig.3a] illustrates a hardware architecture capable of implementing the management method according to the invention; and

[0079] [fig.3b] [fig.3b] is a functional representation of equipment according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0080] The invention applies particularly to the implementation of remote maintenance operations on equipment in a network, whether a public network managed by an operator or a private network managed by a company or community. For example, the equipment may be residential gateways or TV decoders deployed by an operator, or any connected object, i.e. any object configured to transmit or receive information via a communication network.

[0081] [fig.l] schematically represents a system for managing a set of equipment according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0082] The system 100 comprises a management server 10 and a set of equipment 20. The management server 10 is for example a server configured for managing maintenance operations of the set of equipment. The management server is configured in a known manner to create maintenance operations necessary for the maintenance of the equipment in the fleet. These operations are included in a list of maintenance operations to be carried out, in association with the date of creation of the maintenance operation. According to embodiments, the list of operations is transmitted to equipment in the fleet, as soon as a new operation is created and included. According to other embodiments, a list of operations is sent periodically to equipment in the fleet or at the request of the equipment in the fleet.The equipment 2 of the equipment set 20 may be residential gateways, television decoders, routers, Wifi extenders, photocopiers, connected cars, etc.

[0083] The management server 10 can communicate with each equipment 2 of the set of equipment 20 via a telecommunications network 30, for example an Internet network, a Wifi network, a Bluetooth network, an NFC network, or a fixed or mobile telephone network (of the 3G, 4G, 5G type, etc.). In addition, the equipment 2 communicates with each other at least via this telecommunications network 30.

[0084] [Fig.2a] illustrates steps of the management method in accordance with a mode of rea- lization of the invention, in the form of an exchange, between the entities of [fig.l].

[0085] The method is implemented by a system for managing a set of equipment 20, for example the system 100 described with reference to [fig.l]. In particular, the method is implemented by at least one of the equipment 2 of the set of equipment 20, for example by a first equipment 2a.

[0086] The method applies in particular to the management of the maintenance of a set of equipment 20 comprising a large number of pieces of equipment, but can also be used for the management of the maintenance of a set of equipment comprising any number of pieces of equipment.

[0087] When a piece of equipment, referred to below as the first piece of equipment 2a, is connected to a communication network 30 managed by an operator, a management server 10 forming part of the infrastructure intended for the maintenance of the fleet of equipment 20 managed by the operator, designates a list of equipment that can potentially be peer equipment of this first piece of equipment 2a, from all the equipment in the fleet or set of equipment 20. The equipment in this list is, for example, designated randomly.

[0088] The management server 10 sends to the equipment (first equipment) 2a, a list comprising the designated set of equipment. This list is called the list of potential peer equipment.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the first equipment 2a receives El this list of potential even equipment LE comprising equipment forming part of the set of equipment 20.

[0090] Furthermore, the method comprises receiving E1 a list of operations LOP to be carried out on at least part of the equipment of the set 20. The list of operations is for example a list of maintenance operations.

[0091] The first equipment 2a then implements the selection E2 of at least one even equipment 2b, 2c from the list of equipment or list of potential even equipment LE received.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the equipment further receives, upon reception E1, a last operation information IDO indicative of a time at which a last operation among the operations in the list of operations LOP was created. This last operation information IDO is associated with the list of operations. In another embodiment, the equipment can receive information relating to the creation associated with each operation in the list. The equipment can itself determine the last operation information to be associated with the list of operations, using the information relating to the creation associated respectively with the operations in the list.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the selection E2 of at least one even device 2b, 2c is repeated to form a list of even devices LEP comprising at least one predetermined number n of even devices 2b, 2c.

[0094] As will be described later, this predetermined number n corresponds to the number of devices necessary to implement certain steps of the management method according to embodiments.

[0095] Thus, during the selection E2 of at least one peer device, several peer devices are selected to form the list of peer devices LEP.

[0096] In one embodiment, the selection E2 of at least one peer equipment comprises a random selection of said at least one peer equipment from the list of equipment LE or list of potential peer equipment.

[0097] For the sake of clarity of the description, [fig.2a] only illustrates three pieces of equipment. The first piece of equipment 2a corresponds to a piece of equipment receiving a list of even pieces of equipment from the management server (of the operator). This first piece of equipment implements the steps of the management method according to one embodiment of the invention, and in particular selects two even pieces of equipment 2b, 2c. In this example, it is considered that the predetermined number n of pieces of equipment in the list of even pieces of equipment is equal to two.

[0098] To describe the method, it is considered that the method is implemented by the first equipment 2a. It can nevertheless be implemented by all of the equipment in the set of equipment or at least by some of the equipment.

[0099] It will be noted that each even equipment present in the received list of equipment LE El being likely to be selected to become an even equipment 2b, 2c, is potentially an even equipment. Thus, the received list of equipment LE is called a list of potential even equipment (list of equipment being potentially even).

[0100] When a peer device 2b, 2c is selected from the list of potential peer devices LE, it is removed from the list of potential peer devices LE. In addition, it is added to a list of peer devices LEP.

[0101] Thus, the list of potential peer equipment LE and the list of peer equipment LEP are thus dynamic.

[0102] When the first equipment 2a receives the list of equipment or list of potential peer equipment LE, it stores it in memory. Similarly, once the list of peer equipment LEP is formed, it is stored in memory.

[0103] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the association E3 of a first obsolescence information item with said at least one selected peer equipment 2b, 2b, this first obsolescence information item being representative of the time at which the peer equipment 2b, 2d becomes an obsolete peer equipment item.

[0104] As indicated below, a peer equipment 2b, 2c is an equipment communicating with the first equipment 2a to participate in the implementation of maintenance operations, for example by receiving a list of operations from maintenance and participating in the verification of a list of maintenance operations. An obsolete peer device (not shown) is a device that was once a peer device (and was therefore part of the peer device list) and that at present does not communicate with the first device 2a. In fact, a peer device becomes an obsolete peer device from the time indicated by the first obsolescence information. From this time, the peer device is removed from the list of peer devices LEP and is included in a list of obsolete peer devices LEO.

[0105] Thus, the list of potential peer equipment LE, the list of peer equipment LEP and the list of obsolete peer equipment LEO are dynamic. The number of equipment in each list of peer equipment is variable. The list of potential peer equipment LE, the list of peer equipment LEP, and the list of obsolete peer equipment LEO are recorded in the first equipment 2a.

[0106] As will be described below, in certain embodiments, the list of even devices LEP comprises at least a predetermined number of even devices 2b, 2c. This number of devices is necessary for the implementation of certain steps of the method.

[0107] When a peer device in the list of peer devices LEP becomes an obsolete peer device, the selection E2 of a peer device from among the devices in the list of potential peer devices is implemented. In one embodiment, the selection E2 is repeated until the number of devices in the list of peer devices LEP reaches at least the predetermined number n.

[0108] The list of potential peer devices LE also includes at least a predefined number of devices or minimum number of potential peer devices.

[0109] In addition, the list of potential peer equipment LE and the list of peer equipment LEP may comprise a predefined maximum number of equipment.

[0110] When the list of potential peer equipment LE contains a number of equipment less than a predefined minimum number of potential peer equipment, the equipment 2a interrogates the peer equipment 2b, 2c of its list to obtain new potential peer equipment and reach this minimum number of potential peer equipment.

[0111] For example, the equipment queries one by one, sequentially, the peer equipments in its list. In response, each peer equipment sends to the equipment a potential peer equipment randomly selected from the equipments in its own list of potential peer equipments. According to another embodiment, each peer equipment sends to the equipment at least one peer equipment from its list of peer equipments. The equipment checks whether the received peer equipment is present in its list of peers or obsolete peers, and in the event of a negative response, it adds it to its list. of potential country equipment.

[0112] In one embodiment, the method further comprises associating a second obsolescence information with an obsolete peer equipment, this second obsolescence information being representative of the time at which the obsolete peer equipment is deleted from the list of obsolete peer equipment LEO.

[0113] Once this time has passed, the equipment is no longer part of the equipment lists saved in the equipment.

[0114] Once the list of peer equipment LEP has been formed, the first equipment 2a transmits E4 the list of LOP operations to be carried out that it has received, to the peer equipment 2b, 2c of the list of peer equipment LEP.

[0115] In the scenario described, the first device 2a has received the list of operations LOP from the management server 10. This list of operations is thus reliable, that is to say that it has not been modified or created by malicious devices.

[0116] In one embodiment, the equipment checks E5 whether operations from the list must be implemented on it, and if so, it implements them E6. The verification of the need to implement a maintenance operation on equipment as well as the implementation of a maintenance operation on equipment are known to those skilled in the art and are not described in detail in this document. In a known manner, during these checks, the equipment checks for example whether the version of embedded software ("firmware") that it has is different from a version requested by the list of operations. For example, the list of operations may include conditions associated respectively with the operations, to implement or not implement the operation depending on a check relating to the condition.

[0117] In another embodiment, the step E4 of transmitting the list of operations LOP can be implemented after the implementation of the steps E5 of verifying and E6 of implementing the maintenance operations.

[0118] [fig.2b] illustrates steps of the management method according to a second embodiment of the invention, in the form of an exchange between the entities of [fig.l].

[0119] In this embodiment, the first equipment 2a receives the list of operations LOP from another equipment 2b, 2c of the set of equipment 20.

[0120] It will be noted that each piece of equipment 2a, 2b, 2c of the set initially receives a list of operations from the management server, for example during its first connection to the communication network 30.

[0121] For the sake of clarity of [fig.2b], the selection steps E2 and association steps E3 have not been shown. They are similar to the steps of the embodiment described with reference to [fig.2a] and will not be described again here.

[0122] In this embodiment, when the first equipment 2a receives the list of LOP operations of a device 2b, 2c, the method further comprises the verification E7 of said list of operations to verify that it is not fraudulent or invalid. An invalid or fraudulent list of operations is for example a list which has been modified compared to the list of operations issued by the management server (by the operator), for example by malicious equipment.

[0123] Indeed, each peer equipment 2b, 2c of a list of peer equipment LEP associated with a piece of equipment (first equipment 2a), receives a list of operations from the first piece of equipment 2a and can implement, in turn, the management method according to the invention. It will be noted that the list of potential peer equipment LE is received from the management server 10, for example during the first connection of the equipment to the communications network.

[0124] Furthermore, the first equipment 2a can request the peer equipments 2b, 2c from its list of peer equipments LEP, their list of operations. This request is for example implemented when the first equipment 2a has not received a list for a predefined period of time. The first equipment requests the list of equipments from the peers 2b, 2c to check whether it is up to date, that is to say whether maintenance operations are necessary on it and whether it has not received the list of maintenance operations necessary for the implementation of these operations.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the verification of the list of operations comprises steps for verifying whether the list of operations contains the last operations to be implemented. In one embodiment, the verification of the list of operations comprises the transmission E71 of a cmd command intended for each peer equipment 2b, 2c of the list of peer equipment LEP, this command requesting from the peer equipment 2b, 2c a last operation information IDO representative of the creation date (corresponding in certain embodiments with the transmission date) of the operations by the management server 10. As indicated below, each operation of the list of operations LOP has an associated creation date or in another embodiment, a last operation information is associated with the list of operations.

[0126] The creation date of the operation corresponds to the time at which the management server determined that the operation was necessary for at least one piece of equipment in the set of equipment. Once the server has determined that an operation is necessary, it includes it in the list of operations that it will address to pieces of equipment in the set. In an embodiment in which the list of operations is addressed to the equipment as soon as the operation is created, the creation date corresponds to the date of issue of the operation.

[0127] In response to these cmd commands, the first equipment 2a receives E72 from the peer equipments 2b, 2c, information on the last operation IDO_2b, IDO_2c respectively.

[0128] Thanks to this information of last operation IDO_2b, IDO_2c received, the first equipment identifies E73 the even equipments 2b, 2c up to date and the even equipments 2b, 2c which are not up to date.

[0129] According to one embodiment, for the identification E73 of the peer devices, upon receipt E72 of this set of last operation information IDO_2b, IDO_2c, the first device 2a compares each of the last operation information received with the last operation information recorded in the first device 2a or device implementing the verification E7.

[0130] Depending on the set of results obtained during these comparisons, the first equipment 2a identifies E73 the even equipment 2b, 2c which is up to date and the even equipment 2b, 2c which is not up to date.

[0131] When the last operation information IDO_b, IDO_c from at least one peer device represents a more recent time than the last operation information recorded in the first device 2a, the first device is not up to date. In this case, the first device 2a issues a cmd2 command to the peer device (for example the peer device 2b) for which this result was obtained, the cmd2 command requesting the list of operations recorded in this peer device 2b. In one embodiment, when the last operation information IDO received from several devices represents a more recent time than the last operation information recorded in the first device 2a, the cmd2 command is addressed to the device having the most recent last operation information IDO among these several devices, or in other words, it is addressed to the device being the most up to date among these several devices.

[0132] Once the new list of operations has been received, the first device 2a repeats the steps of sending E71 the cmd commands requesting the peer devices for information on the last operation IDO, reception E72 and identification E73, using this new list of operations received.

[0133] When the first equipment 2a is up to date, that is to say when the last operation information IDO_a recorded in the first equipment 2a represents a more recent time than the last operation information received IDO_b, IDO_c, or when the last operation information IDO_a recorded in the first equipment 2a is identical to the last operation information IDO_b, IDO_c received from a number of even equipments less than the predetermined number n (during identification E73), the first equipment verifies E74, according to one embodiment, the validity of the list of operations with the management server 10. Thus, the first equipment 2a implements the transmission of a cmd3 command intended for the management server 10 requesting a new list of operations.

[0134] When the last operation information IDO_b, IDO_c from a number of even devices 2b, 2c greater than the predetermined number n are identical (during identification E73) to the last operation information IDO_a of the first device 2a, the first device 2a must confirm that the list of operations is not fraudulent, and therefore, invalid. It will be noted that in this case, more than a predetermined number n of devices are deemed to be up to date. Thus, then, the first device 2a checks E75 whether its list of operations (the recorded list of operations) is valid or invalid (or fraudulent).

[0135] An operation list is determined to be valid when at least a predetermined number n of peer devices validates the operation list, and to be invalid when at least one peer device invalidates the operation list.

[0136] As will be detailed below, according to one embodiment, the verification E75 of the validity of the list of operations can only be implemented when the list of peer equipment LEP contains at least the predetermined number n of peer equipment. Thus, in the previous case, when the last operation information IDO_a of the first equipment 2a is identical to the last operation information IDO_b, IDO_c received from a number of peer equipment 2b, 2c less than the predetermined number n, the verification of the validity of the list of operations cannot be implemented. Consequently, in this case, the first equipment 2a queries the management server 10 to verify that its list of operations is valid and to be able to address it to the peer equipment 2b, 2c of the list of peer equipment LEP.

[0137] According to one embodiment, to verify the validity E75 of the list of operations, the first device 2a, during a step E751, generates E751a a random character string CC, introduces E751b this random character string CC into the recorded list of operations LOP and then applies E751c a hash function to the list of operations including the random character string.

[0138] The first device 2a transmits E752a the random character string CC to each peer device 2b, 2c of the list of peer devices LEP being deemed up to date (identified in step E73) and transmits E752b cmd4 commands respectively requesting the peer devices 2b, 2c of the list to apply the hash function to its list of operations including the random character string CC.

[0139] In response, the first device 2a receives E753 of the results of the hash hash_2b, hash_2c of the even devices 2b, 2c.

[0140] Depending on the received hash results hash_2b, hash_2c of the hash function, the list of operations is determined E754 to be valid or invalid.

[0141] In one embodiment, if the result of the hash function (or the hash) obtained E753 by at least a predetermined number n of even devices is identical to the result obtained by the first device 2a, the list of operations is determined E754 as valid.

[0142] When, during the determination E754, the list is determined to be valid, the first equipment 2a checks whether operations from the list must be implemented on it E5, and if so, it implements them E6. In addition, the first equipment 2a addresses this list of operations to the equipment in its list of peer equipment LEP that it has identified E73 as not being up to date. As for the embodiment described with reference to [fig.2a], the verification E5 of the need to implement the maintenance operations and the implementation E6 of the operations can be implemented before or after the sending E4 of the list of operations to the peer equipment that is not up to date (the equipment 2b in the example illustrated).

[0143] In one embodiment, if the result of the hash function obtained by at least a predetermined number n of even devices 2b, 2c is different from the result obtained by the first device 2a, the list of operations LOP is determined to be fraudulent or invalid.

[0144] In this embodiment, when, during the determination E754, the LOP list is determined to be invalid, the first equipment 2a sends E755 a cmd2 command requesting a list of operations, to one of the peer equipments for which the result obtained is different from the result obtained by the first equipment 2a (for example to the peer equipment 2b).

[0145] Once the new list of operations has been received, the first equipment 2a repeats the verification of the list of operations E7, from the transmission E71 of the commands requesting the peer equipments for information on the last operation, until the determination E754 of the list of operations as being valid or as being fraudulent / invalid, using the new list of operations received.

[0146] In one embodiment, if the result of the hash function obtained by even devices 2b, 2c in number less than the predetermined number n is identical or different from the result obtained by the first device 2a, the list of operations cannot be determined in step E754 as being valid or fraudulent / invalid. In this case, the first device 2a checks E74' the list of operations with the management server 10. For example, the first device 2a sends a cmd3 command to the management server 10 to request a new list of operations. In this embodiment, the security of the network is reinforced while minimizing the demands on the management server.

[0147] In another embodiment, as soon as the result of the hash function obtained by a peer device 2b, 2c is different from the result obtained by the first device 2a, the first device 2a sends a cmd2 command to the management server 10 to request a new list of operations, without checking the result of the hash function obtained by all the peer devices. In this embodiment realization, network security is reinforced.

[0148] [fig.3a] schematically illustrates a hardware architecture of equipment capable of implementing the management method according to the invention.

[0149] The equipment comprises a communication bus 200 to which are connected: - a processing unit 201, named in the figure CPU (for “Central Processing Unit”) and which may comprise one or more processors; - a non-volatile memory 202, for example ROM (for “Read Only Memory”), EEPROM (for “Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory”) or a Flash memory; - 203 RAM (for “Random Access Memory”); - an input / output interface 204, named in the figure I / O (for “Input / Output”), for example keys or buttons, a screen, a keyboard, a mouse or another pointing device such as a touch screen or a remote control allowing a user to interact with the equipment 2 via a graphical interface or human-machine interface; and - a communication interface 205, named COM in the figure, adapted to exchange data for example with the management server 10, with peer equipment or with a DB database via a communication network 30.

[0150] The RAM 203 comprises registers adapted to the recording of variables and parameters created and modified during the execution of a computer program comprising instructions for the implementation of the management method according to the invention. The instruction codes of the program stored in non-volatile memory 202 are loaded into RAM memory 203 in order to be executed by the CPU processing unit 201.

[0151] The non-volatile memory 202 is for example a rewritable memory of the type EEPROM or Flash memory that may constitute a medium within the meaning of the invention, i.e. that may comprise a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the management method according to the invention. The rewritable memory may comprise, for example, the various lists used, the list of potential peer equipment LE, the list of peer equipment LEP and the list of obsolete peer equipment LEO. These lists are updated as equipment is added to and / or removed from the various lists.

[0152] This program defines, by means of its instructions, functional modules of the equipment which are implemented and / or control the hardware elements described previously. [fig.3b] is a functional representation of equipment according to an embodiment.

[0153] These modules include in particular:

[0154] - a reception module 21 configured to receive a list of peer devices including equipment that is part of the equipment set, and a list operations to be carried out on at least part of the equipment in the set;

[0155] - a selection module 22 configured to select at least one even device among the received list of peer equipment; and

[0156] - a transmission module 23 configured to transmit said list of operations to perform towards said at least one selected peer device.

[0157] The equipment 2 may further comprise, depending on embodiments:

[0158] - a verification module 24 configured to verify whether operations in the list must be implemented on him

[0159] - a module 25 configured to implement maintenance operations;

[0160] - a verification module 26 configured to verify a list of operations;

[0161] The aforementioned modules and means are controlled by the processor of the processing unit 201. They can take the form of a program executable by a processor, or a material form (or "hardware"), such as a specialized integrated circuit (known in English terminology as ASIC for "Application-Specific In-tegrated Circuit"), a system on chip (known in English terminology as SoC for "System On Chip"), or an electronic component of the programmable logic circuit type, such as a component of the FPGA type (for "Field-Programmable Gate Array").

[0162] The management server 10 also comprises a communication bus to which are connected a processing unit or microprocessor, a non-volatile memory, a random access memory or RAM, and a communication interface adapted in particular to exchange data with the set of equipment 20. The management server 10 can for example send to at least one equipment 2, a list of operations LOP, a list of peer equipment LEP and / or IDO information indicative of a time at which a last operation among the operations in the list of operations LOP was created.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing a set of equipment, characterized in that it comprises the following steps implemented by at least one piece of equipment of the set of equipment: - reception (El) of a list of equipment (LE) comprising equipment forming part of the set of equipment, and of a list of operations to be carried out on at least part of the equipment of the set; - selection (E2) of at least one even piece of equipment from the list of equipment received; and - transmission (E4) of said list of operations (LOP) to be carried out to said at least one selected even piece of equipment.

2. Management method according to claim 1, in which the selection (E2) of at least one peer device is repeated to form a list of peer devices (LEP) comprising at least a predetermined number (n) of peer devices.

3. Management method according to one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising the association (E3) of a first obsolescence information item with said at least one selected peer equipment, this first obsolescence information item being representative of a time at which the peer equipment becomes an obsolete peer equipment item.

4. Management method according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the reception (El) of last operation information (IDO) indicative of a time at which a last operation among the operations in the list of operations was created.

5. Management method according to claim 2, wherein when the list of maintenance operations is received (El) from a piece of equipment of said set of equipment, the method further comprises the verification (E7) of said list of operations (LOP).

6. Management method according to claim 5, in which the verification of said list of operations comprises the identification (E73) of the equipment of said list of peer equipment (LEP) being up to date in the implementation of the operations of said list of operations (LOP).

7. Management method according to claim 6, in which said identification (E73) comprises: - the emission (E71) of commands (cmd) intended respectively for each peer equipment of the list of peer equipment formed, said commands respectively requesting from said peer devices (2b, 2c) last operation information representative of the time at which the last maintenance operation in the list of operations was created; and - the reception (E72) of the last operation information (IDO_2b, IDO_2c) from the peer devices (2b, 2c) respectively.

8. Management method according to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein when the last operation information recorded in the equipment (2a) receiving the last operation information (IDO_2b, IDO_2c) is identical to the last operation information received (IDO_2b, IDO_2c) from a number of even equipment less than the predetermined number (n), the verification (E7) further comprises the verification (E74) of the validity of the list of operations with the management server (10).

9. Management method according to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein when the last operation information recorded in the equipment (2a) receiving the last operation information (IDO_2b, IDO_2c) is identical to the last operation information received (IDO_2b, IDO_2c) from a number of even equipment greater than the predetermined number (n), the verification (E7) further comprises the verification of the validity of the list of operations (E75).

10. Management method according to claim 9, wherein the verification of the validity of the list of operations (E75) comprises: - the generation (E751a) of a random character string (CC) and the introduction (E751b) of said character string (CC) into the recorded list of operations (LOP); - the application (E751c) of a hash function to said recorded list of maintenance operations including said random character string; - the transmission (E752a) of said random character string (CC) to each up-to-date peer equipment (2b, 2c) identified (E73); - the emission (E752b) of a command (cmd4) requesting each up-to-date peer equipment (2b, 2c) identified (E73) to apply said hash function to its list of operations including said random character string; and - determining (E754) the list of operations as valid or invalid based on a set of results (hash_2b, hash_2c) received (E753) from peer devices (2b, 2c) up to date.

11. Equipment forming part of a set of equipment, the set of equipment communicating with each other via a communication network, said equipment being characterized in that it comprises: - a reception module (21) configured to receive a list of peer equipment comprising equipment forming part of the set of equipment, and a list of operations to be carried out on at least some of the equipment of the set; - a selection module (22) configured to select at least one peer equipment from the list of peer equipment received; and - a transmission module (23) configured to transmit said list of operations to be carried out to said at least one selected peer equipment.

12. System comprising a set of equipment, at least one of the equipment being in accordance with claim 11 and a management server (10) configured to manage said set of equipment (20).

13. Computer program capable of being implemented on equipment, the program comprising code instructions for implementing the steps of the management method according to one of claims 1 to 10, when executed by a processor.

14. Information medium readable by a processor in equipment, on which is recorded a computer program comprising code instructions for implementing the steps of the management method according to one of claims 1 to 10, when it is executed by the processor.

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