CLI Gateway for Secure PON Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current management systems for passive optical networks (PONs) face challenges in efficiently managing and controlling a large number of optical network terminals (ONTs) across a distributed network, particularly in virtualized environments like Kubernetes, where secure and centralized command-line interface access is cumbersome due to the absence of a unique externally addressable interface and security concerns with unencrypted text transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A virtual network interface gateway is introduced within the Kubernetes infrastructure, providing an abstract representation of a computer network interface to manage multiple remote OLTs/OLTs internally, allowing non-encrypted communication within the pod while ensuring encrypted external access, and utilizing a CLI gateway service for secure, centralized, and authenticated access to NETCONF servers, enabling efficient configuration, diagnostics, and management of OLTs/ONTs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a virtualized management system is used to manage multiple OLTs/ONTs, then device complexity is reduced and scalability is improved, but secure centralized access becomes cumbersome due to lack of unique externally addressable interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a CLI gateway as an intermediary component that sits between external management systems and the virtualized OLT/ONT infrastructure. This gateway provides a unique externally addressable interface that mediates access requests, translating external commands into appropriate internal operations while maintaining security policies. The gateway acts as a secure entry point that simplifies access without compromising the virtualized architecture's scalability.
2Ease of operation
If unencrypted text transmission is used for CLI access, then ease of operation is improved, but security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different security qualities for different communication domains. Within the Kubernetes pod, unencrypted text transmission is permitted for simplicity and ease of operation. However, for external communications, encrypted channels are enforced. This local quality approach allows each domain to use the appropriate security level - simple unencrypted communication where security risks are minimal, and secure encrypted communication where external threats exist.
Solution Approach 2:
The CLI gateway serves as a secure intermediary that terminates external encrypted connections and translates them into internal unencrypted commands. This mediator handles the security complexity externally while allowing simple communication internally, effectively decoupling the security requirements of external access from internal operation simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If multiple individual access points are provided for each OLT/ONT, then management precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual access points into a single unified CLI gateway that provides aggregated access to multiple OLTs and ONTs. This consolidation reduces the number of access points from many individual interfaces to a single unified interface, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining the ability to precisely manage individual devices through the unified gateway.
Solution Approach 2:
The CLI gateway is designed as a universal access point that can manage multiple different OLT and ONT devices through a single interface. Rather than requiring separate access points for each device, the gateway provides multi-functional capabilities to handle various device types and management operations, reducing complexity while preserving management precision through its universal design.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for secure management for passive optical network.