Agent Platform Appliance for SDDC Cloud Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing multiple software-defined data centers (SDDCs) across various geographical locations and in a hybrid manner is challenging due to the complexity of monitoring and performing operations through conventional interfaces, especially when the number of SDDCs is large.
Innovation Solution
A cloud platform is established that delivers services to SDDCs through agents deployed in an appliance, allowing communication between the cloud platform and SDDC management software via authentication and access tokens, enabling efficient delivery of services like configuration, upgrade, monitoring, and inventory management without the need for burdensome VPN setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional interfaces and techniques are used to manage SDDCs, then existing management methods can be maintained, but monitoring and performing operations become increasingly challenging as the number of SDDCs grows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary management layer that sits between the cloud platform and the SDDC management software. This intermediary layer provides standardized interfaces and abstraction, allowing the cloud platform to manage multiple SDDCs without directly interacting with each individual SDDC's complex internal interfaces. The intermediary translates high-level cloud platform commands into SDDC-specific operations, resolving the contradiction between management efficiency and system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If SDDCs are deployed across multiple geographical regions and in a hybrid manner, then deployment flexibility and scalability are improved, but monitoring and management operations become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal management interface that can operate across diverse deployment environments (on-premise, public cloud, hybrid). The cloud platform provides multi-functional capabilities to manage SDDCs regardless of their geographical location or deployment type. This universal interface abstracts away the differences between various deployment scenarios, allowing operations to be performed uniformly across all SDDCs, thus resolving the contradiction between deployment flexibility and operational ease.
3Device complexity
If direct communication between cloud platform and SDDC management software is established, then service delivery is simplified, but security requirements increase due to the need for authentication and authorization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and authorization actions through token-based security mechanisms. Before the cloud platform communicates with SDDC management software, authentication tokens are obtained and validated in advance. This preliminary security action establishes trusted communication channels, allowing simplified ongoing communication while maintaining strong security. The tokens are obtained through pre-configured authentication mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between communication simplicity and security requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of connecting a software-defined data center (SDDC) to a cloud platform to enable the cloud platform to deliver cloud services to the SDDC includes the steps of: deploying an agent platform appliance that is connected to a management network of the SDDC; and deploying a plurality of agents on the agent platform appliance, wherein the agents include a first agent that is configured to issue a command to a component of the SDDC to perform an operation requested by a cloud service of the cloud platform and a second agent that is configured to acquire an authentication token for authenticating to the component of the SDDC, and wherein the second agent acquires the authentication token from the component of the SDDC, and the first agent acquires the authentication token from the second agent and transmits the command and the authentication token to the component of the SDDC.