Application Infrastructure Platform Aggregating ASP Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
The IT industry faces challenges in efficiently managing the growing number of core features required by new applications, particularly in areas like comprehensive security and ubiquitous access, with a need for a platform that can provide dynamic and scalable services to reduce the burden on Application Service Providers (ASPs) and enable them to focus on market niche solutions.
Innovation Solution
An Application Infrastructure Platform (AIP) that aggregates applications and services from both internal and external ASPs/ISVs, providing a common management environment with features like profile management, billing, and workflow management, allowing ASPs to focus on market-specific solutions while leveraging a shared infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ASPs build and maintain their own infrastructure independently, then they have full control over their services, but the complexity and cost of infrastructure management increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges infrastructure management capabilities into a shared AIP platform that multiple ASPs can access. The AIP consolidates common services including authentication, authorization, accounting, billing, and directory services into a unified system, allowing individual ASPs to avoid building these infrastructure components independently while maintaining service control.
Solution Approach 2:
The AIP platform provides universal infrastructure services that can be shared across multiple ASPs and different service types. The system implements multi-functional capabilities including AAA services, billing, directory services, and workflow management that serve various ASPs simultaneously, reducing redundant infrastructure for each provider.
2Productivity
If each ASP independently implements common services like security and access management, then they have customization flexibility, but the overall system efficiency and scalability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments services into two categories: common infrastructure services managed centrally by the AIP (such as authentication, authorization, billing) and application-specific services managed by individual ASPs. This segmentation allows efficient centralized management of repetitive functions while preserving ASP autonomy over market-specific solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The AIP acts as an intermediary platform between service providers and end users, handling common infrastructure requirements. It mediates authentication, authorization, and accounting functions, allowing ASPs to focus on application development while the AIP manages the intermediary infrastructure services that support multiple providers.
3Reliability
If ASPs develop comprehensive security and access management capabilities independently, then they achieve robust security, but the time and resources required for development increase
Solution Approach 1:
The AIP platform implements security, authentication, and authorization capabilities in advance as pre-built infrastructure services. These security mechanisms are established before ASPs need to deploy their applications, allowing them to leverage ready-made security solutions rather than developing security capabilities from scratch, thus reducing development time while maintaining reliability.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple ASPs operate independently with separate infrastructure, then they maintain operational autonomy, but the total cost and resource consumption of the industry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The AIP merges infrastructure resources into a shared platform that serves multiple ASPs simultaneously. By consolidating authentication servers, billing systems, directory services, and workflow management into a unified infrastructure, the system reduces total resource consumption compared to each ASP maintaining separate independent infrastructure, while still allowing operational autonomy for service delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an application infrastructure platform (AIP) having an application service provider (ASP) environment including multiple ASP systems providing application services to customers, and a common services environment including hardware and software and management systems providing to the ASP systems applications and integrated application, back-office, and management services used by the ASP systems in delivering their application services to their customers. In another aspect, the AIP is associated with a development and test bed environment which conducts product and service development and testing.