Cloud Device Discovery via On-Premise Relay

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In large device management environments, the manual discovery of devices by administrators or users is tedious and burdensome, requiring individual configuration of each device to communicate with a management server, which can lead to errors or non-compliance due to user unwillingness or improper configuration.

Innovation Solution

A method where a management server, potentially cloud-based, initiates the discovery process by sending registration requests to an on-premise server, which relays them to device agents on connected devices, allowing automatic registration without user intervention, using a management server URL and group token, enabling devices to register with the management server and optionally a notification server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If manual configuration is performed by administrators or users, then devices can be registered with the management server, but the process becomes tedious and burdensome requiring individual configuration of each device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice registration automationVSAvoidtime required for device discovery

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having devices actively seek out and register with the management server (client-initiated discovery), the management server initiates the discovery process by sending registration requests to devices (server-initiated discovery). This inversion eliminates the need for manual client configuration and automatically discovers all devices on the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

Devices automatically respond to registration requests from the management server using pre-configured agent software, eliminating the need for user intervention. The device agent listens for registration requests and automatically completes the registration process by sending device information back to the management server.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If users are relied upon to perform configuration themselves, then administrative workload is reduced, but many users may not properly configure their device or may be unwilling to attempt configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of device registrationVSAvoidconfiguration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The management server takes control of the discovery process by initiating registration requests, eliminating the need for users to perform complex configuration tasks. This ensures consistent and accurate registration across all devices regardless of user technical knowledge or willingness to configure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

A device agent serves as an intermediary between the management server and the device operating system. The agent handles all registration communications automatically, ensuring proper configuration without requiring direct user intervention, thereby maintaining both ease of operation and configuration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual discovery is performed in large device environments, then devices can be managed from a single location, but the discovery process requires significant administrative effort for each device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-device management capabilityVSAvoiddiscovery process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management server initiates discovery by sending registration requests to all devices on the network simultaneously rather than requiring administrators to manually configure each device individually. This approach maintains the ability to manage multiple devices from a single location while dramatically reducing the complexity of the discovery process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The discovery process is segmented into distinct components: the management server sends registration requests, device agents on each device receive and process these requests, and devices automatically respond with their information. This segmentation allows the system to handle large numbers of devices efficiently through automated parallel processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10075345B2Cloud based manual discovery of devices in a device management environment

Publication Date: 2018.09.11 DELL MARKETING CORP

AI summary

Manual discovery of devices in a device management environment can be performed from a management server. The manual discovery process can enable the discovery process to be initiated at the management server and can be performed without requiring an administrator or other user to manually configure each device to initiate and perform the discovery process. To discover devices to be managed, the management server, which can be a cloud based server or Software as a Service based server, can send a registration request to an on-premise server. The on-premise server can then relay this registration request to all devices on the same network infrastructure. The agent on each device can be configured to listen for such registration requests, and in response to receiving a registration request, can automatically register with the management server using information contained in the registration request. In this way, the management server can manually discover devices.