Centralized Private-Network Control Lists for Secure Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network communication technologies face challenges in maintaining security and configuration complexity, especially when integrating computing systems with diverse firewall and security measures, leading to cumbersome network management.

Innovation Solution

A coordination service manages control lists and accessibility by identifying allowed computing elements, determining encryption and addressing information, and transmitting this information to the elements, enabling secure and efficient communication within a private network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If individual network configuration and security rules are applied to each computing element, then security control precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity control precisionVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges individual computing elements into groups or organizational units, applying security rules at the group level rather than individually. This reduces configuration complexity while maintaining security precision through hierarchical control, where group-level policies automatically apply to member elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coordination service provides universal security management functionality across diverse computing elements with different firewall and security measures. A single coordination service instance manages multiple computing elements, providing multi-functional security control that works across heterogeneous systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If diverse firewall and security measures are integrated across different computing systems, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation and device complexity worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity measure diversityVSAvoidnetwork configuration ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The coordination service acts as an intermediary between diverse computing elements and the centralized management system. It translates various firewall and security measures into a unified control format, enabling diverse security measures to be managed through a single interface without requiring direct configuration of each system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments security management into two layers: centralized policy definition at the coordination service level, and localized enforcement at the computing element level. This segmentation allows diverse security measures to be integrated through a common management interface while maintaining local adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If centralized coordination service manages all computing elements, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork management easeVSAvoidcoordination service complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Computing elements perform self-service by automatically receiving and applying security policies from the coordination service. They autonomously configure their local firewall and security settings based on centralized directives, reducing the operational burden on administrators while distributing the implementation complexity across multiple elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250310308A1Centralized management control lists for private networks
Publication Date: 2025.10.02 TAILSCALE INC
  • US20250310308A1 patent drawing
  • US20250310308A1 patent drawing
  • US20250310308A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The technology described herein manages control lists and accessibility for computing elements in a private network. In one implementation, a method includes, in a coordination service, identifying computing elements allowed access to the private network and determining a subset of the computing elements is allowed to communicate with one another. The method also includes determining encryption information and addressing information for respective elements in the subset of the computing elements. The method then includes transmitting the encryption information and the addressing information to the respective elements in the subset of the computing elements.