Application-Centric Compliance Management for Dynamic Cloud Resources

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional compliance management systems in multi-tier computing environments are static and unable to adapt to frequent changes in resource configurations, leading to compliance failures and increased administrative burdens, especially in agile environments where resources are dynamically added or removed to meet service level agreements (SLAs).

Innovation Solution

An application-centric compliance management system that identifies and monitors resources used by applications, generates compliance verification files based on application-specific policies, and automatically updates these files as resource configurations change, ensuring continuous compliance with security and performance metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional static compliance management systems are used, then compliance monitoring can be performed, but the system cannot adapt to frequent changes in resource configurations leading to compliance failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to resource configuration changesVSAvoidcompliance monitoring accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The compliance management system transitions from a static to a dynamic model by continuously monitoring resource configurations and automatically updating compliance verification files. The system dynamically identifies resources used by applications, retrieves updated compliance policies, and regenerates verification files in response to configuration changes, ensuring ongoing compliance accuracy without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where compliance verification results are continuously monitored and fed back into the management process. When non-compliance is detected or resource configurations change, the system automatically triggers updates to compliance policies and verification files, creating a closed-loop feedback system that maintains reliability despite frequent changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If high level of customization is provided for each application, then resource allocation flexibility increases, but administrative burden to ensure policy compliance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidadministrative complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The compliance management system performs self-service by automatically identifying resources used by applications, retrieving applicable compliance policies, and generating verification files without requiring manual administrative intervention. The system autonomously monitors compliance status and detects non-compliance conditions, freeing administrators from routine compliance checking tasks while maintaining policy enforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The compliance verification file serves multiple functions: it stores compliance policies, monitors resource configurations, detects non-compliance conditions, and provides audit trails. This multi-functional approach consolidates various compliance management tasks into a single system component, reducing overall administrative complexity while maintaining flexibility in resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If manual compliance monitoring is performed, then compliance can be verified, but time consumption and error risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance verification accuracyVSAvoidtime for compliance monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical compliance monitoring processes with automated computer-based verification. The compliance management system automatically compares resource configurations against compliance policies, generates verification files, and detects non-compliance conditions without human intervention, eliminating manual errors and significantly reducing time consumption while maintaining high verification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9854002B1Application centric compliance management system and method for a multi-level computing environment

Publication Date: 2017.12.26 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

An application centric compliance management system includes a computing system that executes a tool to identify a subset of a the resources of a multi-tier computing environment that are used to execute an application, and for each identified resource, obtain one or more application-based compliance policies associated with the application. The tool may then determine whether the resource meets each application-based compliance policy, and when the resource does not meet the application-based compliance policy, generate an alarm that includes information associated with the one unmet application-based compliance policy.