Secure access systems and methods to network elements operating in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9503443-B2
Application number	US-201414486524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A network element, configured to operate in a network to provide various network functions therein, includes a main processor communicatively coupled to a main memory, wherein the main processor is configured to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) associated with the network element, wherein the main processor is accessible through one or more access techniques; and a supervisory plane comprising a secure processor and a secure memory communicatively coupled thereto, wherein the supervisory plane is separate from and communicatively coupled to the main processor and the main memory, the supervisory plane is configured to allow secure, direct access to the main processor and the main memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A network element, configured to operate in a network to provide various network functions therein, the network element comprising:
a main processor communicatively coupled to a main memory, wherein the main processor is configured to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) associated with the network element, wherein the main processor is accessible through a plurality of access techniques comprising an access port communicatively coupled to a Data Communication Network (DCN) and signaling through overhead of data signals received by the network element; and
a supervisory plane comprising a secure processor and a secure memory communicatively coupled thereto, wherein the supervisory plane is separate from and communicatively coupled to the main processor and the main memory, the supervisory plane is configured to allow secure, direct access to the main processor and the main memory, and wherein the secure processor is accessible via a secure DCN.

2. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the main processor is accessible via any of a local access craft port, the Data Communication Network (DCN), a control plane interface via the signaling, and a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller interface.

3. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the main processor and the main memory are controllable through the supervisory plane, but the supervisory plane is not controllable through the main processor and the main memory.

4. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is accessed through an out-of-band, remote, and secure network, and the supervisory plane is inaccessible through the plurality of access techniques.

5. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane utilizes a WRITE mode and a READ mode with the main processor and the main memory, the WRITE mode allowing modification from the supervisory plane to the main processor and the main memory, but no modifications are allowed from the main processor and the main memory to the supervisory plane.

6. The network element of claim 5 , wherein the READ mode includes providing performance management data from the main processor to the supervisory plane, wherein the performance management data is utilized to detect intrusions or malicious activity associated with the network element.

7. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to provide authentication for proper use, authenticated users, and operation of the network element.

8. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to selectively halt/lock the network element where the network element continues to function, but locks further commands or configurations through any of the plurality of access techniques.

9. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to selectively reset/restore the network element where the main memory is wiped and a main configuration therein deleted, and a selected configuration copy in the secure memory is loaded into the main memory and the network element is rebooted.

10. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to selectively zeroize the network element where the main memory is wiped and a main configuration therein deleted, and the network element is rebooted.

11. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to selectively disable the network element to prevent any further use of commands to the network element.

12. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane includes a secure boot functionality with an encrypted operate system in the secure memory, configured to selectively load into the main memory.

13. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to sense a plurality of factors associated with the network element including location, movement, and intrusion-related data, and to report the plurality of factors to a user.

14. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the supervisory plane is configured to provide secure access to one or more virtual machines performing Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) in the network element.

15. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the network element is configured to perform the various network switching and transport functions at Layers 0, 1, 2, and/or 3+.

16. A supervisory plane, in a network element, to provide secure access and control of the network element, the network element configured to operate in a network to provide various network functions therein, the supervisory plane comprising:
a secure processor communicatively coupled to a secure memory, wherein the supervisory plane is separate from and communicatively coupled to a main processor and main memory, the supervisory plane is configured to allow secure, direct access to the main processor and the main memory, and wherein the secure processor is accessible via a secure Data Communication Network (DCN);
wherein the main processor is configured to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) associated with the network element, wherein the main processor is accessible through a plurality of access techniques comprising an access port communicatively coupled to a DCN and signaling through overhead of data signals received by the network element; and
wherein the main processor and the main memory are controllable through the supervisory plane, but the supervisory plane is not controllable through the main processor and the main memory.

17. The supervisory plane of claim 16 , wherein the supervisory plane is accessed through an out-of-band, remote, and secure network, and the supervisory plane is inaccessible through the main processor and the main memory and through the plurality of access techniques.

18. A method, in a network element operating in a network and providing various network functions therein, the network element configured with a supervisory plane to provide secure access and control of the network element, the method comprising:
operating the network element in the network with a main processor and main memory configured to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) associated with the network element, wherein the main processor is accessible through a plurality of access techniques comprising an access port communicatively coupled to a Data Communication Network (DCN) and signaling through overhead of data signals received by the network element;
responsive to an event, allowing access to the network element through a supervisory plane with a secure processor communicatively coupled to a secure memory, wherein the supervisory plane is separate from and communicatively coupled to the main processor and the main memory, the supervisory plane is configured to allow secure, direct access to the main processor and the main memory, and wherein the secure processor is accessible via a secure DCN; and
performing a secure function with the supervisory plane on the main processor and/or the main memory.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the event is any of an intrusion into the network element, the network element is non-responsive or compromised, and a sensor provides a notification related to remote sensing.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the secure function is any of locking the main memory and the main processor, resetting the network element, zeroizing the network element, and disabling the network element.

Assignees

• Krauss David Jordan
• Alexander Stephen B
• Blair Loudon Thomas
• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Krauss David Jordan
• Alexander Stephen B
• Blair Loudon Thomas

Classifications

• H04L41/04

  Network management architectures or arrangements · CPC title

• H04L63/08 Primary

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H04L12/2461

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/42

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L63/10

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title