Importance

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Abstract

A secure method and system for administering to software on a plurality of client computers is disclosed. One or more pre-set policies for one or more client computers may be stored on and transmitted in a secure manner from a central server that is under the control of a system administrator to the client computers over a public network or e-mail systems. The central server is preferably an HTTP server containing software for creating packages of information and for protecting the integrity of the packages during transmission over a virtual secured pipe. The packages may contain policy for the various clients that are to be maintained. The policy may comprise software configurations for software that resides on the clients, software to be installed on one or more clients, or any other information and data that is needed to maintain and manage the clients. Preferably each client also contains software for creating packages and for verifying that incoming packages were created and sent by an authorized and trusted server. Packages that are created by the clients may contain the current configurations for software residing on the client. The client software is preferably capable of transmitting and getting packages to and from the server over the secure pipe. The secure pipe may be established over a public network or e-mail system using HTTP, SMTP, MAPI, and WAP protocols. Thus, as long as the clients have e-mail, Internet access, or access to other public networks, they may be managed and maintained by a central server.

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First Claim