Virtual private network manager

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11425008-B2
Application number	US-201916239210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 3, 2019
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage medium are provided for monitoring, analyzing, and providing reports regarding direct access technologies, for example DirectAccess, VPN, or VPN-like technologies. User activity associated with DirectAccess servers can be filtered by server location to allow administrators to determine which users, and how many users, utilized or are utilizing each DirectAccess server, which can be identified by geographic locations. In some cases, this information can be used to address technical support issues or to determine which resources of an entity may be under- or over-utilized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of analyzing user activity, the method comprising:
receiving a first log of direct access data from a first Virtual Private Network (VPN)-type server, wherein the first VPN-type server is associated with a first location;
receiving a second log of direct access data from a second VPN-type server, wherein the second VPN-type server is associated with a second location that is different from the first location;
receiving a third set of data from a system center configuration manager server that identifies servers, users, and compliance with server policies;
aggregating the first, second, and third sets of data into a folder stored in a database;
monitoring, by a manager tool utilizing the data aggregated in the folder, connections of the first and second VPN-type servers;
generating and causing display of a graphical user interface (GUI) having a report based on the monitoring by the manager tool, wherein the report includes:
a map having a first representation of the first location, an indication of connections of the first VPN-type server, a second representation of the second location, and an indication of connections of the second VPN-type server;
an option to view a first set of historical users associated with the first location in response to a hovering action associated with the first representation of the first location; and
a graph representing a set of global users by region; and

providing connection information that indicates a first connection associated with one or more users from the first set of users was routed through a third location.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first log of direct access data includes login information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the login information indicates that the first set of users logged into the first server.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the map is a global map and the report indicates the first set of users associated with the first location by displaying a total quantity of users associated with the first location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein displaying a total quantity of users associated with the first location includes displaying a total number of active users that initially logged into the first server.

6. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer instructions thereon for execution by one or more processors to perform a method, the media comprising:
receiving a first set of direct access connection data for a first Virtual Private Network (VPN)-type server associated with a first geographic location and a second set of direct access connection data for a second VPN-type server associated with a second geographical location that is different from the first location, wherein the first set and the second set are generated from an automated script run at the first and second VPN-type servers, respectively;
receiving a third set of data that identifies servers, users, and compliance with server policies, wherein the third set is generated from another automated script run at a system center configuration manager server;
aggregating data of the first, second, and third sets of data into a folder stored in a database;
monitoring, by a manager, usage of the first and second VPN-type servers based on the data aggregated in the folder;
generating a first report based on monitoring the connections;
generating and causing display of a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays the first report, wherein the GUI includes a visual representation of the first geographic location, a visual representation of the second geographic location, and a first quantity of active direct access technology users for the first geographic location, wherein the first geographic location is selectable within the first report of the GUI to cause display of a first graph of the usage of the first VPN-type server, and wherein the second geographic location is selectable within the first report of the GUI to cause display of a second graph of the usage of the second VPN-type server;
allowing a download of the first report by a first user based on an Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) authentication of the first user; and
updating the first server, based on one of the first quantity of active direct access technology users for the first geographic location.

7. The media of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of the first geographic location; and
providing a second report for the GUI, based on the first set of server log data, in response to the selection.

8. The media of claim 6 , wherein the first set of direct access connection data includes data indicating a first set of user logins associated with the first server.

9. The media of claim 6 , further comprising receiving a first set of headcount data.

10. The media of claim 7 , wherein the display includes a second number of active direct access technology users for the second geographic location.

11. The media of claim 6 , wherein the display includes a map enabling the first user to zoom in on a region.

Assignees

• Cerner Innovation Inc

Inventors

• Krishna Akkaladevi Vijay
• Nagesh Ravishankar
• Manjunatha Nese
• Santra Pravat
• Bharatia Chirag
• Kumar Neeraj
• Naveen Vedagiri Mohan

Classifications

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/0272 Primary

  Virtual private networks · CPC title

• H04L43/062 Primary

  related to network traffic · CPC title

• H04L12/4641

  Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272) · CPC title

• H04L43/045

  for graphical visualisation of monitoring data · CPC title