des brevets (11)
`
`Europaisches
`Patentamt
`European
`Patent Office
`Office européen
`
`(12)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`published in accordancewith Art. 158(3) EPC
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`10.10.2007 Bulletin 2007/41
`
`(51) Int CL:
`HOAL 12/24 (2006.01)
`
`EP 1 843 520 Al
`
`Application number: 04802549.8
`
`Date offiling: 28.12.2004
`
`(86)
`
`International application number:
`PCT/CN2004/001537
`
`International publication number:
`WO 2006/069472 (06.07.2006 Gazette 2006/27)
`
`
`(87)
`
`Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR
`HU IEISITLILTLUMCNL PL PT RO SE SISK TR
`
`Inventor: YANG, Wenjun,
`ZTE Plaza, Keji Road South
`518057 Shenzhen, Guangdong Province (CN)
`
`Applicant: ZTE Corporation
`Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057 (CN)
`
`Representative: Dr. Weitzel & Partner
`Patentanwalte
`Friedenstrasse 10
`
`D-89522 Heidenheim (DE)
`
`
`(54)
`
`A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE CONFIGURATION OF CONFIGURATION
`PARAMETER SET OF THE REMOTE DEVICE
`
`A method for controlling the configuration of a
`(57)
`configuration parameter set of a remote device uses a
`unique identifier to identify the current configuration pa-
`rameter set of the remote device. The identifier varies
`
`with the content of the configuration parameter set. So
`the remote device transmits its own identifier of the con-
`
`figuration parameter set to the configuration manage-
`ment server and comparesit with the identifier of the
`configuration parameter set of the remote device stored
`in the configuration managementserver after starting.
`When the identifiers are not the same, the configuration
`
`managementserver updates the configuration of the re-
`mote device. Otherwise the remote device operates with
`the original configuration.
`In addition, a corresponding
`device for controlling the configuration of the configura-
`tion parameter set of the remote device is provided.
`In
`the presentinvention, becausethe interaction of the iden-
`tifiers reduces the managementflow of the network, the
`load of the managementinformation in the network and
`the managementsystem is efficiently lessened. Thereby
`the cost of the operators for managing the remote device
`is reduced and the reliability of the configuration also can
`be ensured.
`
`theconfiguration managementserver v“A aoy|modifies a correspondingidentifier ofthe
`
`
`
`t08ht< a responseis received?
`
`401
`
`Start
`-
`oFrf4 (or
`the configuration management.
`Server transmits the. current
`402
`ee
`Y
`configuration to the remote device
`and waits
`the configuration managementserver
`modifies a configuration parameter set
`
`ofa remote device
`¥
`403
`
`
`
`
` configuration parameter set
`N
`
`404
`a 409
`Y
`a the limit LO
`Ge remove device after starting sendsils own
`<<7_ ofthe set number oftimes of ~~~]
`identifier ofthe configuration parametersetto
`reached?
`~_cepeating transmission 's_—
`the configuration management server
`aed Y
`410
`
`Ny
`t
`the configuration managementserver
`the configuration management
`server re-transmits the
`compares the identifier ofthe configuration
`parameter set being received with that ofthe
`configuration to theremote device
`configuration parameterset ofthe remote
`device already stored thereon
`tL.
`406
`a sme?>
`“To
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`f
`
`
`
`End
`
`(a 1
`
`~—
`
`FIG.1
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
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`405
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`EP1843520Al
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`

`

`Description
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`[0001] Thisinvention relates to a method for controlling
`the configuration of configuration parameter sets for re-
`mote devices in a network, and particularly to the con-
`trolling of the automatic configuration of the parameter
`sets for the remote terminal devices used by usersin the
`communication field.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`[0002] As network technology is developing into the
`next generation gradually, the remote devices (as op-
`posed to central office equipment) located on the users’
`side are also developing digitally and intelligently. The
`use of this kind of devices requires more complex con-
`figuration and therefore, brings about heavier workloads
`of maintenance. The operators have to configure and
`manage parameters, predeterminedby their services, of
`the users’ remote terminal devices, in order to make the
`users with different technical skills use their devices nor-
`
`mally. These configuration parameters, referred to as a
`configuration parameter set, are considered as a set of
`various data.
`
`Typically, the remote devices haveinitial con-
`[0003]
`figuration, however, this configuration is not unchange-
`able because the operators may update or reconfigure
`the configuration of the remote devices located on the
`users’ side, to meet the need for services. At present,
`two methodsare used to achievethis task: one is a man-
`
`ual method, which needs to manually intervene the whole
`process of the configuration of the remote devices and
`then, although the configuration people do not need to
`reach the locations of the remote devices, their workloads
`are still very heavy; the other is an automatic method,
`thatis, the operators employ the configuration parameter
`set to automatically and necessarily configure the remote
`terminal devices before the users start up the terminals
`and use the networking service. In the existing methods,
`if the configuration parameters of the operators’ remote
`devices are configured and managed automatically,it is
`needed that the operators’ management systems use
`the configuration parameter set to configure the users’
`terminal devices once, through negotiation mechanisms,
`whenever the users’ terminal devices start up. Due to a
`large number of users’ terminal devices existing on the
`networks, there may be manyof the users’ terminal de-
`vices needed to be configured at the same time, anda
`variety of laws of using such terminal devices. In order
`to guarantee the configuration’s reliability, the manage-
`ment systems and networks designed by the operators
`will be required to process a very heavy workload on
`managementinformation. Although peak load does not
`exist all the time, managing the large configuration may
`cause relatively high costs..
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`SUMMARY
`
`[0004] The purpose of the present invention is that, on
`the basis of the existing automatic management, there
`are provided a method and apparatus for controlling the
`configuration of configuration parameter sets of remote
`devices. The present invention can lessen the load on
`managementinformation because of the frequent con-
`figuration of the remote devices, thereby lowering the
`costs of an operator for managing the remote devices.
`[0005]
`Typically, although there are a large number of
`remote terminal devicesin the network, the configuration
`of the remote terminals is relatively stable, not changed
`regularly and frequently. Hence, the invention adopts
`such a technical solution, which uses a unique identifier
`to identify a current configuration parameter set of a re-
`mote terminal device. The identifier varies with the con-
`
`tent of the configuration parameter set. So, the remote
`device, after starting, compares its own identifier of the
`configuration parameter set with the identifier of the con-
`figuration parameter set already stored in the configura-
`tion management server. The configuration manage-
`ment server updates the configuration of the remote de-
`vice only when the twoidentifiers are not the same, oth-
`erwise, the remote device operates with the original con-
`figuration. Because the interaction of the identifiers rel-
`atively significantly reduces the managementflow of the
`network, the frequency of the configuration is efficiently
`lessened at the startup of the terminal.
`[0006]
`Forthe above described purpose, the invention
`provides a method for controlling the configuration of con-
`figuration parameter sets of remote devices, wherein said
`method is used for the configuration management server
`tocontrol the configuration of the parameters, and where-
`in said method further usesidentifiers to identify the cur-
`rent configuration parameter sets of the remote terminal
`devices, the identifiers varying with the contents of the
`configuration parameter sets, thereby controlling wheth-
`er or not the remote devices are configured based on
`whether or not the corresponding identifiers varied.
`[0007] The above method in accordance with the in-
`vention includes the following steps:
`
`a) each unique identifier is set up for each of the
`corresponding configuration parameter sets of the
`remote devices, and these identifiers are stored on
`the side of said configuration management server
`and inthe corresponding positions on the side of the
`remote devices, respectively;
`
`b) if said configuration managementserver requires
`updating the configuration of a remote device, then
`it updates said remote device’s configuration pararm-
`eter set and modifies said identifier of said remote
`
`device’s configuration parameter set stored on the
`side of said configuration management server; and
`if said configuration management server does not
`require updating said configuration of said remote
`
`

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`EP 1 843 520 A1
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`device, then itkeeps unchanged the originally stored
`identifier of said remote device;
`
`c) said remote device, after starting, sends said cur-
`rent identifier of said configuration parameter set of
`its own to said configuration managementserver;
`
`d) on the side of said configuration management
`server, an identifier of said remote device’s config-
`uration parameter set being received from the out-
`side is compared with that of said remote device’s
`configuration parameter set stored on the side of said
`configuration managementserver; and
`if the two identifiers are the same, then it is not nec-
`essary to update said configuration of said remote
`device; and
`if the two are not the same, then said configuration
`managementserver transmits a new configuration
`parameter set to said remote device, updates said
`configuration of said remote device and further up-
`dates said identifier on the side of the remote devic-
`es.
`
`[0008] The above method in accordance with the in-
`vention, in d), said remote device sendsto said configu-
`ration managementserver a response upon completion
`of said configuration when finishing updating said con-
`figuration, and said configuration management server re-
`peats transmission for a set number oftimesif not re-
`ceiving said response upon completion of said configu-
`ration of said remote device.
`
`[0009] The above method in accordance with the in-
`vention, in a), it sets up a different identifier for each of
`the configuration parameter sets of the remote devices
`from others and stores these identifiers on the side of
`
`said configuration managementserver, as wellas storing
`them in the corresponding positions on the side of the
`remote devices, respectively; in b), if said configuration
`managementserver requires updating the configuration
`of a remote device, then it updates said configuration
`parameter set of said remote device, generates a new
`identifier for said new configuration parameter set on the
`side of said configuration management server, and re-
`places with said new identifier the original one of said
`remote device stored on the side of said configuration
`managementserver; and if said configuration manage-
`mentserver doesnot require updating said configuration
`of said remote device, then it keeps unchanged the orig-
`inally stored identifier of said remote device; in d), on the
`side of said configuration managementserver,if an iden-
`tifier of said remote device’s configuration parameter set
`which is being received from the outside, is not the same
`as that of said remote device’s configuration parameter
`set whichis stored thereon, then said configuration man-
`agementserver transmits both the new configuration pa-
`rameter set andthe corresponding, new identifier to said
`remote device, updates said configuration of said remote
`device and stores said new identifier on the side of the
`
`remote devices, and said remote device, after its config-
`uration is updated, sends to said configuration manage-
`ment server a response upon completion of said config-
`uration, and said configuration managementserver re-
`peats transmission for a set number of times if not re-
`ceiving said response upon completion of said configu-
`ration of said remote device.
`
`[0010] The above method in accordance with the in-
`vention, in a), it sets up identifiers for the configuration
`parameter sets of the remote devices and stores these
`identifiers on the side of the remote devices, as well as
`storing them on the side of said configuration manage-
`ment server;
`in b),
`if said configuration management
`server requires updating the configuration of a remote
`device, then it modifies both said remote device’s con-
`figuration parameter set stored on the side of said con-
`figuration management server and said identifier of said
`remote device’s configuration parameter set stored on
`the side of said configuration managementserver,e.g.,
`to 0; and if said configuration management server does
`not require updating said configuration of said remote
`device, then it keeps unchanged the originally stored
`identifier of said remote device on the side of said con-
`
`figuration managementserver; In d), on the side of said
`configuration managementserver,if an identifier of said
`remote device’s configuration parameter set which is be-
`ing received from the outside, is not the same as that of
`said remote device’s configuration parameter set which
`is stored thereon, then said configuration management
`server transmits to said remote device a new configura-
`tion parameter set as well as updating said configuration
`of said remote device, and then said remote device, after
`its configuration, generates a newidentifier for said new
`configuration parameter set on the side of the remote
`devices and returns said new identifier to said configu-
`ration managementserver as a response upon comple-
`tion of said configuration and storesit on the side of said
`configuration management server, and said configura-
`tion management server repeats transmission for a set
`number of timesif not receiving said response upon com-
`pletion of said configuration of said remote device. Due
`to the conflict between the identifiers, the new identifier
`of said remote device maybestored, together with the
`position information of said remote device.
`[0011] The present invention further provides a corre-
`sponding apparatus for controlling the configuration of
`configuration parameter sets of remote devices, charac-
`terized in that it uses identifiers to identify the current
`configuration parameter sets of the remote devices,
`wherein the identifiers vary with the contents of the con-
`figuration parameter sets; thus controlling, by said con-
`figuration management server, whether ornot the remote
`devices are configured based upon whether or not the
`identifiers varied.
`
`[0012] The apparatus according to the invention, has
`identifier storage modules and identifier comparison
`modules set up on the side of said configuration man-
`agement server, whereas it has identifier storage and
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`EP 1 843 520 A1
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`transmission modules set up on the side of the remote
`devices, wherein: identifier storage modules for storing
`identifiers of configuration parameter sets of remote de-
`vices,
`identifier storage and transmission modules for
`storing identifiers of configuration parameter sets of re-
`mote devices and further for, aftera remote devicestarts,
`sending to an identifier comparison module said current
`identifier of said configuration parameter set of said re-
`mote device, and identifier comparison modules for com-
`paring an identifier of a remote device’s configuration pa-
`rameter set being received from the outside against that
`of said remote device’s configuration parameter set
`stored in an identifier storage module; and if said config-
`uration management server requires updating the con-
`figuration of a remote device, then it updates said remote
`device’s configuration parameter set and modifies said
`identifier of said remote device’s configuration parameter
`set stored on the side of said configuration management
`server; and if said configuration management server
`does not require updating the configuration of said re-
`mote device,
`then it keeps unchanged the originally
`stored identifier of said remote device; and if the two iden-
`tifiers are identical in comparison in said identifier com-
`parison module,
`then said configuration management
`server is not necessary to update the configuration of
`said remote device; and if the two are not identical in
`comparison, then said configuration management server
`transmits said new configuration parameter set to said
`remote device, updates the configuration of said remote
`device and further updatessaid identifier of said remote
`device stored in said identifier storage and transmission
`module, thereby making said updated identifier identical
`to that of said remote device stored in said identifier stor-
`
`age module.
`[0013] The apparatus according to the invention, may
`have an identifier update module set up on the side of
`said configuration managementserver, if said configu-
`ration managementserver requires updating the config-
`uration of a remote device, then said identifier update
`module generates a new identifier for said new configu-
`ration parameter set of said remote device, and replaces
`with said newidentifier the original one of said remote
`device stored in said identifier storage module; and if the
`twoidentifiers are the same, then said configuration man-
`agementserver does not require updating the configu-
`ration of said remote device; and if the two are not the
`same, then said configuration management server trans-
`mits the new configuration parameter set to said remote
`device and, said identifier update module sends said new
`identifier of said remote device to an identifier storage
`and transmission module and updates said configuration
`of said remote device and stores said new identifier in
`
`said identifier storage and transmission module, and said
`remote device, after its configuration is updated, sends
`to said configuration managementserver a response up-
`on completion of said configuration, and said configura-
`tion management server repeats transmission for a set
`number of timesif not receiving said response upon com-
`
`pletion of said configuration of said remote device. There-
`in, said identifier storage module, said identifier update
`module and said identifier comparison module may be
`located within the configuration management server,
`whereas said identifier storage and transmission module
`may be located within said remote device.
`[0014] The apparatus according to the invention, may
`also have an identifier update module set up on the side
`of the remote devices, for generating new identifiers for
`new configuration parameters of the remote devices; if
`the twoidentifiers are the same, compared in said iden-
`tifier comparison module, then said configuration man-
`agement server does not require updating the configu-
`ration of said remote device; and if the two are not the
`same, then said configuration managementserver trans-
`mits said new configuration parameter set to said remote
`device and updatessaid configuration of said remote de-
`vice, and said identifier update module, after the config-
`uration of said remote device is updated, generates a
`new identifier for said new configuration parameter and
`returns said new identifier to said configuration manage-
`ment server as a response upon completion of said con-
`figuration and stores said newidentifier in said identifier
`storage andtransmission module. Therein, said identifier
`storage module and said identifier comparison module
`may be located in the configuration management server,
`whereas said identifier update module and said identifier
`storage and transmission module may be located in said
`remote device.
`
`For this invention, it should be noted that,if the
`[0015]
`configuration managementserver is not able to directly
`communicate with the remote devices, then a router is
`required for proxy. The processing of the proxy may be
`referenced from many core ideas and further,it is readily
`understandable and achievable for the skilled in the art.
`
`[0016] Comparing with prior art, this invention is able
`to provide the automatic configuration of the remote de-
`vice and to efficiently lessen the frequency of the config-
`uration of the remote device and to efficiently reduce the
`flow of the configuration and management of the network,
`thereby lowering down the cost of the managementsys-
`tem and networking device of the operators for managing
`the remote terminal device.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0017]
`
`Fig.1 illustrates a flowchart of main steps of a method
`according to the invention;
`
`Fig.2 illustrates a block diagram of a method using
`the centralized identifier management according to
`the invention;
`
`Fig.3 illustrates a block diagram of a method using
`the distributed identifier management according to
`the invention;
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`EP 1 843 520 A1
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`Fig.4 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus of
`configuration parameter sets of remote devicesin
`the centralized identifier management according to
`the invention;
`
`Fig. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus of
`configuration parameter sets of remote devices in
`the distributed identifier management according to
`the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)
`
`[0018] This invention will be described in more detail,
`as incorporated with reference to the accompanying
`drawings and embodiments asfollows.
`[0019]
` Fig.1 illustrates a flowchart of main steps of the
`method according to the invention; the detailed steps of
`the methodin this invention are as follows:
`
`Step 401, Start;
`
`the configuration management server
`Step 402,
`modifies a configuration parameter set of a remote
`device;
`
`the configuration management server
`Step 403,
`modifies a corresponding identifier of the configura-
`tion parameter set;
`
`Step 404, the remote device after starting sendsits
`ownidentifier of the configuration parameter set to
`the configuration managementserver;
`
`the configuration management server
`Step 405,
`comparesthe identifier, being received, of the con-
`figuration parameter set with that, stored thereon on
`its own, of the configuration parameter set of the re-
`mote device;
`
`Step 406, decides whether the aboveidentifiers are
`the same or not: if yes then executes Step 411, or if
`not then executes Step 407;
`
`the configuration management server
`Step 407,
`transmits the current configuration to the remote de-
`vice and waits;
`
`Step 408, decides whether the response is received
`or not: if yes then executes Step 411, or if not then
`executes Step 408;
`
`Step 409, decides whether the limit of the set number
`of times of repeating transmission is met: if yes then
`executes Step 411, orif not then executes Step 410;
`
`Step 410, the configuration managementserver re-
`transmits the configuration to the remote device and
`returns to Step 408;
`
`Step 411, End.
`
`[0020] Theconfiguration parameter set of each remote
`device has a different identifier set up, and each identifier
`is stored in the configuration management server and
`the corresponding remote device, respectively; Depend-
`ing upon the different locations generated of the corre-
`sponding newidentifiers after the configuration parame-
`ter set is updated, i.e., the determination on the side of
`the configuration management server or on the side of
`the remote device, the technical solutions of the present
`invention may be further divided into two embodiments:
`thecentralized identifier management andthe distributed
`identifier management. The two embodiments are de-
`scribed in more detail, as incorporated with Fig. 2 and
`Fig. 3, as follows respectively:
`[0021] The centralized identifier management mainly
`means that, after the configuration management server
`modifies a configuration parameter set of a remote de-
`vice, the new identifier of the configuration parameter set
`of that remote device is generated by the configuration
`managementserver. As shownin Fig. 2, the configura-
`tion managementserver, after updating a configuration
`of a remote device, generates a newidentifier of a con-
`figuration parameter set for the new configuration param-
`eter set according to an algorithm or method, and stores
`this new identifier and replaces the old one. The remote
`device, after starting up, sends its own current identifier
`of the configuration parameter set to the configuration
`managementserver, and then the configuration manage-
`ment server comparesthis identifier with its own stored
`identifier of the configuration parameter set of that remote
`device, if they are the same then the configuration man-
`agement server does not operate further or otherwise
`the configuration managementserver sends the updated
`configuration parameter set of that remote device to the
`remote device for configuration, and waits for the re-
`sponse upon completion of the configuration. The con-
`figuration managementserver, while sending the config-
`uration parameters to the remote device, transmits to the
`remote device the new identifier of the configuration pa-
`rameter set generated by the configuration management
`server as well and then, stores this identifier on the side
`of the remote user. For the approach to using the cen-
`tralized identifier management, becausethe identifier of
`its configuration parameter set is maintained universally
`by the configuration managementserver, the algorisms
`usable are easily unified and the chosen scopeis also
`much larger. The specific algorisms mentioned above
`may be chosen appropriately in the specific use, either
`a combination of the parameters or a result of computa-
`tion.
`
`The distributed identifier management mainly
`[0022]
`refers to that, after the configuration management server
`modifies a configuration parameter set of a remote de-
`vice, the new identifier of the configuration parameter set
`of that remote device, after its configuration is updated,
`is generated by itself. As shown in Fig. 3, although the
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`configuration management server, after modifying the
`configuration parameter set of the remote device, up-
`dates the local identifier of that configuration parameter
`set as it does in the embodiment of the centralized iden-
`
`tifier management, the updating is more flexible than the
`determining of a new identifier - only when there is a
`difference between the modified identifier and original
`identifier. For example, the configuration management
`server may simply clear the configuration parameterset
`of the remote device to "0" and then, if there is a difference
`compared the identifier of the configuration parameter
`set sent by the remote deviceafterits start to the identifier
`("0") of the configuration parameter set of the remote
`device stored in the configuration managementserver,
`it concludes that the reconfiguration ofthat remote device
`is necessary, although atthis time, the identifier updated
`by the configuration managementserver is not the ulti-
`mate one updated of the configuration parameter set.
`The remote device, after starting up, sends its own stored
`identifier of the configuration parameter set to the con-
`figuration managementserver to make a comparison: if
`the identifier of the configuration parameter set of that
`remote device, which is stored on the side of the config-
`uration management server, has been updated, then
`there is a resultant difference, and at this time, the con-
`figuration management server sends the configuration
`parameter set to the remote device, in order to configure
`and updateit. After its configuration, the remote device
`according to its own algorithm, generates a new identifier
`for the new the configuration parameter set and, returns
`to the configuration managementserver that new iden-
`tifier as a response upon completion of the configuration.
`Because the algorithm for generating new identifiers, tak-
`en bydifferent remote devices, is different, conflict be-
`tween the different identifiers of the remote devices may
`occur. In order to avoid the occurrence of such conflicts,
`some methods may be adopted for separation, e.g. the
`position information of the remote devices is defined as
`part of an identifier or part of an algorithm while the iden-
`tifiers are being computed. Due to the appropriate meth-
`ods selected for avoiding the occurrence of such con-
`flicts, the distributed identifier management, compared
`with the centralized identifier management, may de-
`crease the configuration managementservers’ require-
`ments for the algorithm of the generation of identifiers.
`The configuration managementserver stores an identi-
`fier to the configuration parameter set considered asrep-
`resentative of a unique identifier of the configuration pa-
`rameter set of a corresponding remote device. Moreover,
`in order to decrease the high probability of conflicts
`caused bydifferent algorithms remote device terminals,
`the configuration management server may store that
`unique identifier, together with the position information
`of the remote device.
`
` Fig.4 illustrates a block diagram of the appara-
`[0023]
`tus of the configuration parameter set of the remote de-
`vice using the centralized identifier management accord-
`ing to the invention. As shown in Fig. 4, on the side of
`
`configuration management server 100, there are provid-
`ed identifier storage module 110, identifier comparison
`module 120 and identifier update module 130; whereas,
`on the side of remote devices 201,202 and 203, identifier
`storage and transmission modules 211, 212 and 213 are
`stored respectively. Below is described with reference to
`remote device 201: there is an identifier of the configu-
`ration parameter set of remote device 201 stored within
`identifier storage module 110; if configuration manage-
`ment server 100 modifies the configuration parameter
`set of remote device 201, then identifier update module
`130 generates for the new configuration parameter set
`of remote device 201 a new identifier of the configuration
`parameter set, and replaces with that new identifier the
`original identifier of that remote device stored within iden-
`tifier storage module 110; there is an identifier of the con-
`figuration parameter set of remote device 201 stored
`within identifier storage and transmission module 211,
`and after remote device 201 starts, identifier storage and
`transmission module 211 sends the currentidentifier of
`
`the configuration parameter set of remote device 201 to
`identifier comparison module 120; identifier comparison
`module 120 comparesthe received identifier of the con-
`figuration parameter set of remote device 201 to the iden-
`tifier of the configuration parameter set of remote device
`201 stored within identifier storage module 110: if the
`identifiers are the same then configuration management
`server 100 needn’t update remote device 201, i.e., Keeps
`unchanged the identifier of remote device 201 stored
`within identifier storage module 110; or if they are differ-
`ent then configuration management server 100 sends
`the new configuration parameter set to remote device
`201, i.e., updates the configuration of remote device 201
`while the new identifier as part of the configuration pa-
`rameter set is sent to identifier storage and transmission
`module 211 and stored in identifier storage and trans-
`mission module 21 1, and further remote device 201, after
`its configuration is updated, sends a response upon com-
`pletion of the configuration, or otherwise, if configuration
`managementserver 100 has not received the response
`upon completion of the configuration of remote device
`201, then repeats for a set number of times.
`[0024]
`Inthe embodimentasillustrated in Fig. 4, iden-
`tifier storage module 110, identifier comparison module
`120 and identifier update module 130 may be set up in
`configuration managementserver 100; identifier storage
`and transmission modules 211, 212 and 213 may be set
`up in remote devices 201,202 and 203, respectively.
`[0025]
`‘Fig.5 illustrates a block diagram of the appara-
`tus using the distributed identifier management accord-
`ing to the invention. As shownin Fig.5, there are identifier
`storage module 110 and identifier comparison module
`120 set up on the side of configuration management serv-
`er 100; whereas there areidentifier storage and trans-
`mission modules 211, 212 and 213 and identifier update
`modules 221, 222 and 223, set up in remote devices
`201,202 and 203, respectively. Remote device 201, for
`example, is described below:the identifier of the config-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`

`

`11
`
`EP 1 843 520 A1
`
`12
`
`uration parameter set of remote device