Secure remote access computing system

Claim 2

At least one computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions to perform a method comprising: establishing a communication link between a first computing device and a second computing device by way of a public communication network; communicating, from said first computing device to said second computing device, a request by a user of said first computing device to execute a task controlled by said second computing device; verifying on said second computing device that said user of said first computing device is authorized to execute said task; dynamically generating a customized program on said second computing device that contains data and user interface features necessary for said user of said first computing device to define at least one parameter required to execute said task; transmitting said customized program from said second computing device to said first computing device; executing said customized program on said first computing device for said user to define said at least one parameter required to execute said task; transmitting said at least one parameter required to execute said task from said first computing device to said second computing device; and executing said task by said second computing device on behalf of said first computing device.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing includes: transmitting a Universal Resource Locator style command from said first computing device that uniquely identifies said second computing device using a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol style communication protocol over said public communication network without said user of said first computing device having log-on access to said second computing device; and responding from said second computing device to said first computing device to confirm that operable communications exist between said first computing device and said second computing device.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 wherein said task is an administration type task directed toward at least one computing device selected from a group comprising: said second computing device and at least one node of a private network that is operatively connected to said second computing device as a gateway to said private network.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1 wherein said task is any computing operation operable on at least one target computing device selected from a group comprising: said second computing device and at least one node of a private network that is operatively connected to said second computing device as a gateway to said private network.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of dynamically generating includes: identifying a minimum set of data and user interface features necessary for said user of said first computing device to define an executable one of said task; and generating a custom Web page available only to said user of said first computing device that contains said minimum set of data and user interface features.

Claim 7

A computer-readable storage device containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform steps according to claim 1.

Claim 10

A computer-readable storage device containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform steps according to claim 7.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7, wherein the generated custom program contains data specific to the private network.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, wherein the data specific to the private network includes network configuration details, network administration parameters, network address information, passwords, or node specific information.

Claim 13

A secure remote access network administration system using a public communication network comprising: a remote computing device having a network browsing program and access to said public communication network; a private network having a plurality of computing devices therein; a network interface device supporting service for a publicly accessible Web page, said network interface device also having access to said public communication network and supporting a private communication link to said private network; means for establishing a communication link between said remote computing device and said network interface device; means for communicating, from said remote computing device to said network interface device, a request by a user of said remote computing device to execute an administrative task on at least one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network; means for verifying on said network interface device that said user of said remote computing device is authorized to execute said administrative task; means for dynamically generating a custom Web page on said network interface device that is unique to said administrative task and contains only enough data and user interface features as are required for said user of said remote computing device to define at least one parameter necessary to construct an executable one of said administrative task; means for transmitting said custom Web page from said network interface device to said remote computing device; means for executing said custom Web page on said remote computing device for said user to define said at least one parameter necessary to construct an executable one of said administrative task; means for transmitting said at least one parameter from said remote computing device to said network interface device; and means for executing said administrative task, in response to said request, by said network interface device on behalf of said at least one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network without said user of said remote computing device being logged onto said network interface device as a network interface device user and without having direct access to any one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network.

Claim 14

A secure remote access network administration system using a public communication network comprising: a remote computing device having a network browsing program and access to said public communication network; a private network having a plurality of computing devices therein; a network interface device supporting service for a publicly accessible Web page, said network interface device also having access to said public communication network and supporting a private communication link to said private network; means for establishing a communication link between said remote computing device and said network interface device; means for communicating, from said remote computing device to said network interface device, a request by a user of said remote computing device to execute an administrative task on at least one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network; means for verifying on said network interface device that said user of said remote computing device is authorized to execute said administrative task; means for dynamically generating a custom Web page on said network interface device that is unique to said administrative task and contains only enough data and user interface features as are required for said user of said remote computing device to define at least one parameter necessary to construct an executable one of said administrative task; means for transmitting said custom Web page from said network interface device to said remote computing device; means for executing said custom Web page on said remote computing device for said user to define said at least one parameter necessary to construct an executable one of said administrative task; means for transmitting said at least one parameter from said remote computing device to said network interface device; and means for executing said administrative task, in response to said request, by said network interface device on behalf of said at least one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network without said user of said remote computing device being logged onto said network interface device as a network interface device user and without having direct access to any one of said plurality of computing devices in said private network.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11 wherein said means for establishing includes: means for locating a remote computing device with operable access to said public communication network; means for communicating on said public communication network by way of an accepted communication protocol standards; and means for locating said network interface device by way of a Universal Resource Locator style command that uniquely identifies said network interface device using a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol style communication protocol.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 12 wherein said means for dynamically generating includes: means for determining a minimum set of private network data that is required to perform said administrative task; means for extracting said minimum set of private network data from said private network; and means for generating a custom user interface program based on said minimum set of private network data and at least one informational parameter prompt for completion by said user of said remote computing device.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 13 including: means for shielding said plurality of computing devices in said private network from direct access from said remote device over said public communication network.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 15 wherein said step of dynamically generating includes: determining a minimum set of private network data that is relevant to said task and needed by said user to define said parameters unique to said task; extracting said minimum set of private network data from said private network; integrating said minimum set of private network data into said custom user interface in said custom program to prompt said user for only said parameters needed to generate an executable one of said task; and generating an executable one of said task from said parameters supplied by said user.

Claim 21

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, said computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising: receiving at least one first message from a remote computer over a public communications system identifying a user process of the remote computer; authorizing the user process in response to the first message; transmitting at least one second message to the remote computer over the public communications system to identify devices in a private network and network administration tasks for execution on the identified devices; receiving at least one third message from the remote computer over a public communications system indicating selected network administration tasks and selected devices from the identified tasks and devices; generating selected information comprising network administration tasks capable of being performed and selected devices information for the user process; transmitting at least one fourth message containing at least part of the generated selected information to the user process over the public communications system; receiving at least one fifth message from the user process over a public communications system including at least one parameter for performing one of the selected tasks on one of the selected devices; and initiating the performance of one of the selected tasks on one of the selected devices.

Claim 22

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, said computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising: receiving at least one first message from a remote computer over a public communications system identifying a user process of the remote computer; authorizing the user process in response to the first message; transmitting at least one second message to the remote computer over the public communications system to identify devices in a private network and network administration tasks for execution on the identified devices; receiving at least one third message from the remote computer over a public communications system indicating selected network administration tasks and selected devices from the identified tasks and devices; generating selected information comprising network administration tasks capable of being performed and selected devices information for the user process; transmitting at least one fourth message containing at least part of the generated selected information to the user process over the public communications system; receiving at least one fifth message from the user process over a public communications system including at least one parameter for performing one of the selected tasks on one of the selected devices; and initiating the performance of one of the selected tasks on one of the selected devices.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one second message includes private network configuration details, network administration parameters, network address information, passwords, or node specific information.

Claim 26

The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the public network comprises the Internet.

Claim 27

The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the private network comprises a local area network.

Claim 28

The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said computing task comprises a task performable by an administrative level user.

Claim 29

The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the program transmitted comprises a web page.

Claim 30

A computer readable medium bearing computer readable instructions, said instructions being capable of carrying out the steps recited in claim 19.

Claim 33

The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the public network comprises the Internet.

Claim 34

The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the private network comprises a local area network.

Claim 35

The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the program transmitted comprises a web page.

Claim 36

The system as recited in claim 25 wherein said computing task comprises a task performable by an administrative level user.

Claim 37

The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the set of authorized computing tasks is determined by the requestor's authorization level.

Claim 40

The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the public network comprises the Internet.

Claim 41

The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the private network comprises a local area network.

Claim 42

The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the program transmitted comprises a web page.

Claim 43

The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said specific authorized tasks comprise tasks performable by an administrative level user.

Claim 44

The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the set of specific authorized tasks is based upon the authorization level of the requestor.