Client-Side Context Manager Bypassing Firewall NAT Restrictions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Healthcare information systems face challenges with context management due to firewall and Network Address Translation (NAT) issues when implementing context managers on client-side devices, which hinder the availability of virtual applications and create single points of failure and bottlenecks in server-side implementations.
Innovation Solution
A client-side context manager is implemented on a healthcare enterprise's client machine, utilizing a file system watcher and connection establisher to monitor file system creations and establish connections with virtual applications, bypassing firewall and NAT restrictions by providing access to a dedicated file system location and enabling indirect initiation of connections through item placement and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a context manager is implemented on a server-side, then centralization and management control are improved, but single points of failure and performance bottlenecks are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the context manager functionality by distributing context manager instances across multiple client devices rather than centralizing them on a single server. Each client device runs its own context manager instance, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining local context management capabilities. This segmentation allows the system to scale horizontally across multiple clients without creating centralized bottlenecks.
2Productivity
If a context manager is implemented on a client-side device, then local performance and availability are improved, but firewall and NAT issues hinder connection establishment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional connection initiation approach by having the virtual application server initiate connections to client-side context managers rather than having clients connect to servers. This reversal bypasses firewall and NAT restrictions that typically block incoming connections to clients, as the connection flow direction is changed to originate from the server side, which is generally permitted through network security infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a connection intermediary mechanism that facilitates communication between virtual applications and client-side context managers through a coordinated handshaking process. The intermediary approach uses file system watchers and connection tokens as mediators to establish secure connections without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication that would be blocked by firewall and NAT configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtual applications are provided access to the file system, then connection initiation capability is improved, but security and access control complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing virtual applications with access to specific dedicated file system locations rather than granting broad file system permissions. Each virtual application is assigned a particular directory or file path where it can place connection initiation items, creating fine-grained access control that minimizes security risks while enabling the required connection functionality. This localized access approach reduces complexity compared to comprehensive file system access control.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for client-side context managers are disclosed. An example context manager implemented on a client machine includes a file system watcher to monitor a location of a file system implemented on the client machine for creation of a new item, wherein a virtual application implemented on a server is provided access to the file system; and a connection establisher to establish a connection between the context manager and the virtual application in response to the creation of the new item in the location of the file system by the virtual application.