Networking as a service

Abstract

Networking as a Service (NaaS) delivers network services using remote appliances controlled by a hosted, multi-tenant management system. The system may include a heartbeating process for communication between a web-based server and appliances, in which the appliances periodically contact the management system on the server. The heartbeating process allows the appliances to maintain a completely up-to-date configuration. Furthermore, heartbeating allows for comprehensive monitoring of appliances and for software distribution. The system may also include means for authenticating appliances, without the need for pre-installed PSKs or certificates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 monitoring for one or more heartbeat packets from a network device of a network;   receiving from the network device a first heartbeat packet from the network device, the heartbeat packet including one or more logs of the network device, the logs comprising new log information since a last acknowledged heartbeat packet but not comprising old log information before the last acknowledged heartbeat packet.   response to the first heartbeat packet, sending a first response network packet to the network device, the first response network packet including a configuration identifier of a latest configuration for the network device, and the first response network packet further including a building identifier of a latest software image for the network device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the latest configuration to the network device if the network device is not running the latest configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the providing the latest configuration to the network device comprises providing one or more new configuration files associated with the latest configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the latest software image to the network device if the network device is not running the latest software image. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the latest configuration is one that the network device should be running. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the latest software image is one that the network device should be running. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first response network packet is an implicit acknowledgement to the network device that the logs included in the first response network packet have been accepted 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network device is configured to purge log information upon receiving the first response network packet. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network device is customer premises equipment (CPE). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to publish a modified configuration;   in response to the instruction, generating the latest configuration for the network device;   updating a monitoring database with the configuration identifier of the latest configuration, the monitoring database providing the configuration identifier of the latest configuration for use in the first response network packet.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 means for monitoring for one or more heartbeat packets from a network device of a network;   means for receiving from the network device a first heartbeat packet from the network device, the heartbeat packet including one or more logs of the network device, the logs comprising new log information since a last acknowledged heartbeat packet but not comprising old log information before the last acknowledged heartbeat packet.   means for sending a first response network packet to the network device in response to the first heartbeat packet, the first response network packet including a configuration identifier of a latest configuration for the network device, and the first response network packet further including a building identifier of a latest software image for the network device.   
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a computer readable medium including instructions configured to cause the processor to perform the operations of:   monitoring for one or more heartbeat packets from a network device of a network;   receiving from the network device a first heartbeat packet from the network device, the heartbeat packet including one or more logs of the network device, the logs comprising new log information since a last acknowledged heartbeat packet but not comprising old log information before the last acknowledged heartbeat packet;   in response to the first heartbeat packet, sending a first response network packet to the network device, the first response network packet including a configuration identifier of a latest configuration for the network device, and the first response network packet further including a building identifier of a latest software image for the network device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising providing the latest configuration to the network device if the network device is not running the latest configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , where the providing the latest configuration to the network device comprises providing one or more new configuration files associated with the latest configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising providing the latest software image to the network device if the network device is not running the latest software image. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the latest configuration is one that the network device should be running. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the latest software image is one that the network device should be running. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first response network packet is an implicit acknowledgement to the network device that the logs included in the first response network packet have been accepted 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the network device is configured to purge log information upon receiving the first response network packet. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the network device is customer premises equipment (CPE). 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving an instruction to publish a modified configuration;   in response to the instruction, generating the latest configuration for the network device;   updating a monitoring database with the configuration identifier of the latest configuration, the monitoring database providing the configuration identifier of the latest configuration for use in the first response network packet.