BMS Certificate Management for Batch CSR and Renewal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of requesting, applying, and renewing security certificates in building management systems is time-consuming and tedious, requiring an improved method for efficient certificate management.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device or certificate management device communicates with a remote server to batch-download and manage security certificates for controllers and client devices within a building management system, using an API to solicit and generate Certificate Signing Requests, and automatically track and renew certificates as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If certificates are managed individually for each controller and client device, then security is maintained, but the time and effort required for certificate management increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual certificate management operations into a single batch operation. The system retrieves configuration data for multiple controllers and client devices, generates certificate signing requests for all of them simultaneously, and processes renewals in bulk through a centralized user interface, thereby reducing the time and effort required while maintaining security for each device
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides a universal certificate management solution that handles both controller certificates and client device certificates through a single interface and process. This multi-functional approach allows users to manage certificates for diverse device types uniformly, eliminating the need for separate management procedures for different device categories
2Ease of operation
If manual certificate renewal processes are used, then control over the timing is maintained, but the process becomes tedious and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring certificate expiration dates and automatically notifying users when certificates need renewal. The interface displays the status of certificates across all devices and provides real-time updates, ensuring that renewals are performed timely without requiring manual tracking or intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service certificate management by automatically retrieving configuration data, generating certificate signing requests, and processing renewals without requiring manual intervention for each device. The automated processes reduce human error while maintaining reliability through systematic execution of renewal tasks
3Productivity
If batch processing of certificates is implemented, then efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized certificate management system that acts as an intermediary between multiple controllers/client devices and the certificate authority. This intermediary handles the complexity of batch operations, data retrieval, and coordination internally, while presenting a simplified interface to users, thereby improving efficiency without exposing system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing a plurality of controller certificates for a plurality of controllers within a Building Management System (BMS) includes downloading project information defining the BMS and using the downloaded project information to solicit a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) from each of the plurality of controllers of the BMS. The received CSRs are uploaded to a remote server so that the remote server can generate a corresponding controller certificate for each of the plurality of controllers of the BMS. The generated controller certificates are then downloaded to the corresponding one of the plurality of controllers of the BMS.