Protocol Endpoint Mapping for Heterogeneous Device Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Managing heterogeneous third-party devices in local area networks is challenging due to communication protocol and interface incompatibilities, making it difficult to establish effective management and control, especially when new devices are added, and requiring modifications to management applications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network management system that separates software applications generating control instructions from protocol endpoints, using association mappings to match device capabilities with suitable software applications and protocol endpoints, allowing for remote management of devices without direct configuration or modification of management applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a management application is developed to communicate with heterogeneous third-party devices, then communication capability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The management application is segmented into two independent parts: a protocol endpoint layer that handles device-specific communication protocols, and a management application layer that provides high-level management functions. This segmentation allows the management application to communicate with heterogeneous devices without needing to understand each device's specific protocol details, thereby improving communication capability while reducing management application complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A protocol endpoint is introduced as an intermediary component between the management application and third-party devices. The protocol endpoint translates management application commands into device-specific protocols and handles the communication details, allowing the management application to maintain simple, protocol-agnostic interfaces while still being able to communicate with diverse heterogeneous devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the management application is modified to support new devices, then adaptability is improved, but development time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into protocol endpoints and management applications, new devices can be supported by adding or updating protocol endpoints without modifying the core management application. This isolation ensures that device-specific changes do not propagate to the management application layer, significantly reducing development time and cost for supporting new devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The protocol endpoint acts as an intermediary that absorbs the complexity of new device protocols. When a new device type is introduced, only the protocol endpoint needs to be updated or extended, while the management application remains unchanged. This mediator approach isolates the impact of new devices to a single layer, minimizing overall system modification requirements.
3Ease of operation
If direct access to user devices is provided for management, then control capability is improved, but user privacy and security concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol endpoint serves as an intermediary that manages all communications between the management application and user devices. This intermediary layer can be configured to provide management control capabilities while maintaining user privacy and security by filtering, monitoring, or controlling what information is exchanged, thus enabling control without direct access to user devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmentation into protocol endpoints and management applications allows for fine-grained control over communication capabilities. The protocol endpoint can be configured to provide specific management functions (such as firmware updates or status monitoring) while blocking access to sensitive user data or device operations, thereby balancing control capability with user privacy protection.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which cause processors to perform: collecting, at a management computer located separately with respect to a networked plurality of devices, device information about each of the devices; for each particular device: determining matches between the device capabilities for the particular device, and features of software applications; for a particular match: determining a particular software application that is configured to control the particular device; based at least in part on the device information for the particular device, determining a particular protocol endpoint from protocol endpoints that is configured to communicate control instructions from the particular software application to the particular device; creating data comprising a mapping between the particular software application, the particular protocol endpoint and the particular computing device; configuring an application computer program to use the mapping and a user interface computer program to manage the particular device.