Modern corporate networks include thousands of servers, user workstations and mobile devices interconnected into local and wide area networks and operating hundreds of various software applications around the clock. Administration of complex computer networks is a difficult task, which requires a versatile and a well-organized application administration system. For example, such an administration system facilitates installation, configuration and management of various software applications not only on the user workstations but also on the myriads of various mobile devices in the corporate network, such as laptop computers, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like. The system has to be responsive to frequent changes and updates of software applications. Typically, addition of new software applications or upgrade of old software applications requires modification of the administration system to enable integration of the software applications into the administration system. This places a heavy burden on the administrative infrastructure of the corporate network and makes application administration task, even more onerous.
The difficulties of application administration in large corporate networks are particularly severe in connection with various security applications. A proper operation of security applications on user workstations and mobile devices is essential to the safety of the corporate network and integrity of corporate information. Therefore, security applications are frequently updated to keep up with the ever-growing spread of computer and network security threats, such as viruses, hacker attacks, spam, spyware and the like. These application modifications often require frequent changes in the application administration system as well. In particular, the administration system must be quickly modified to recognize, install and configure the newly added security applications to assure continuous protection of the corporate network. Therefore, there is a need for a centralized administration system that provides rapid and highly concurrent installation, configuration, updating, and patching of remote security and other applications operating on the user workstations and mobile devices in the corporate network.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds