Certificate Manager Automates Trust Validation in Distributed Cloud
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud computing environments require significant manual input and expertise to configure and manage, making it complex for users to leverage their full potential, especially in terms of provisioning and managing virtual machine resources across distributed systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of automated management systems, including an application director, cloud manager, and management agents, which facilitate the provisioning, deployment, and management of virtual machines and resources through a centralized interface, reducing the need for manual intervention and enhancing scalability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automated management systems are implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a certificate manager as an intermediary component that automatically handles certificate validation, trust relationship establishment, and security credential management between virtual machines and cloud infrastructure. This mediator eliminates the need for users to manually configure complex security settings, thereby improving ease of operation while the underlying complexity is managed by the automated system
2Productivity
If manual configuration is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service capabilities where the certificate manager automatically provisions, validates, and manages security certificates and trust relationships without requiring manual user configuration. Virtual machines automatically establish trusted connections with cloud services through automated credential verification, enabling rapid deployment and management while maintaining security compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring certificate validation rules, trust relationships, and security policies before virtual machines are deployed. The certificate manager pre-establishes trusted certificate authorities and validation criteria, so that when virtual machines are provisioned, they automatically inherit secure configurations without requiring manual security setup, thereby increasing productivity
3Reliability
If certificate validation is performed, then reliability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The certificate manager performs preliminary validation of certificates during the initial provisioning phase, establishing trust relationships before actual operations begin. By pre-validating certificate authorities and establishing trusted roots in advance, the system ensures reliable security verification while minimizing time loss during runtime operations, as subsequent validations can quickly reference pre-established trust relationships
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to facilitate certificate and trust management across a distributed environment are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first virtual appliance including a first management endpoint and a first authentication provider including a first certificate validator, the first certificate validator to validate that a first certificate received by the first authentication provider is authentic, virtual appliance to communicate the first certificate via the first management endpoint; and a first component server including a first management agent and a first certificate evaluator, the first management agent to communicate with the first virtual appliance via the first management endpoint, the first management agent to receive the first certificate via the first management endpoint, the first certificate evaluator to evaluate the first certificate to determine a signing authority, the first management agent to restart the first component server and notify the first virtual appliance of acceptance of the first certificate.