20090089871 | Methods and apparatus for digital data processor instantiation - The invention provides, in one aspect, a digital data processing device includes a firewall device and a computer, both housed within the same enclosure and sharing a common path to the Internet (or other external network), yet, not sharing the same substantive processing logic. Thus, by way of example, the firewall device does not the computer's central processing unit (CPU) to execute firewall logic. The digital data processing device can be arranged to limit connectivity and/or functionality of the computer and/or firewall device, e.g., absent authentication. Thus, for example, the computer and firewall can be coupled to the common path—e.g., a modem, network interface card or other communications port supporting access via wired (e.g., wired ethernet and coaxial), wireless (e.g., satellite, telephony, 802.11x), and/or optical (e.g., fiber) means—such that that access by the computer to the Internet (or other external network) is mediated by the firewall device. | 04-02-2009 |
20080222604 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LIFE-CYCLE MANAGEMENT - The invention provides in some aspects a digital data processor executing management software that controls overall operation of the device, including, installation, configuration, updating, and/or other modifications of its software, hardware and configuration files and other “assets.” The management software validates changes to those assets (e.g., software updates and configuration file edits) requested by system administrators and others and can propagate related changes to other assets. As a result, it keeps the digital data processor in a consistent, working state, avoiding operational interruption that might otherwise result from corruption of assets (e.g., lost files) and/or attempts to install inconsistent assets. The management software can serve as an agent for one or more external digital data processing devices that are in communications coupling with the managed digital data processing device, which one or more external digital data processing devices mediate installation, configuration, updating, modification and/or use of the one or more assets. | 09-11-2008 |