Unified Network Configuration Interface for Multi-Media Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of available media types in computing devices complicates the task of installing, configuring, and maintaining network connectivity, as system administrators need to manage multiple hardware and software components with different configuration mechanisms, leading to a heavy burden and potential for errors in setting up and replicating network configurations.
Innovation Solution
A unified configuration interface and network and connection provisioning framework that allows administrators to configure multiple media types through a single interface, generating a standardized configuration file and enabling global policies, with plug-in modules for easy extension and compatibility across different media types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate media managers are used to configure different media types, then each media type can be configured with its dedicated interface, but the complexity of configuration management increases and administrative burden becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate media managers into a single unified configuration manager that can handle multiple media types (physical and virtual) through a single interface. This consolidation reduces the number of separate configuration tools administrators need to learn and use, directly addressing the complexity issue while maintaining support for diverse media types through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified configuration manager is designed with multi-functionality to handle both physical media types (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) and virtual media types (VPN, SSH tunnels) through a single system. This universal approach allows one tool to perform the functions previously requiring multiple separate tools, reducing administrative burden while maintaining comprehensive media type support.
2Ease of manufacture
If different media managers store configuration information in different locations and formats, then each media manager can optimize storage for its specific needs, but the difficulty and time required to restore or replicate settings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unified configuration manager creates a centralized configuration file that serves as a master copy of all media type settings. This single configuration file can be easily copied, backed up, and restored across different systems, replacing the previous approach where multiple separate configuration files and databases needed to be managed individually for restoration purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified configuration manager acts as an intermediary layer between the administrator and the various media managers. It provides a standardized interface for configuring all media types and translates these configurations into the appropriate formats and locations required by each underlying media manager, simplifying both configuration and restoration operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If dedicated interfaces are provided for each media manager, then each interface can be optimized for its specific media type, but the ability to specify policies involving multiple media types becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The unified configuration manager introduces a new dimensional layer above the individual media manager interfaces. This higher-level interface allows administrators to specify policies that span multiple media types simultaneously, while the system maintains the optimized dedicated interfaces below for handling specific media type configurations. The unified manager coordinates across this additional dimension to enable cross-media policies.
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AI summary
A network and connection provisioning framework for configuring and provisioning multiple aspects of network connectivity. The framework may comprise a unified configuration interface that enables an administrator to configure multiple different types of network connectivity. A single configuration file comprising settings for multiple aspects of network connectivity may be generated based on preferences entered by a system administrator, or by exporting current settings from a particular computing device. Global configuration policies or other configuration settings that span multiple types of network connectivity may be also created and stored in one or more configuration files. Stand-alone media managers and/or plug-in modules may implement one or more standardized application programming interface functions so that they may interoperate with the network and connection provisioning framework. The standardized API may be used to ensure that configuration information is handled and stored in a standardized manner by different media managers and/or plug-in modules.