Cloud Authentication Onboarding Using Time-Window Cookie Enrollment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing onboarding systems for new features in cloud-based applications, particularly those involving authentication processes, often result in inconsistent user experiences and user frustration due to reliance on user communication and manual intervention, leading to inefficiencies and confusion.
Innovation Solution
A cookie-based approach is implemented to selectively onboard users to a new authentication process during a designated time window, associating a unique cookie with the user's browser to ensure consistent access to the new feature once authenticated, thereby avoiding manual user intervention and ensuring a seamless transition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a new authentication process is rolled out to all users immediately, then the feature adoption speed is improved, but user experience consistency deteriorates due to ongoing manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically enrolling users in the new authentication process before manual intervention would be required. Users are pre-configured with the new authentication method during a time window, so when they subsequently access the system, the new feature is already active for them without requiring manual enrollment actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically managing user enrollment in the new authentication process without requiring manual intervention from support staff or actions from users. The automated enrollment system handles the configuration and activation of new features for users based on their access patterns and the defined time window.
2Ease of operation
If manual user communication and intervention are used for feature rollout, then user experience consistency is improved, but the time required for feature deployment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates manual intervention by implementing automated enrollment that self-manages the feature rollout process. The system automatically identifies users, enrolls them in the new authentication process, and activates features based on predefined time windows, completely removing the need for manual user communication and support staff intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to monitor user access patterns and automatically adjust enrollment timing. By tracking when users access the system and comparing it against the defined time window, the system dynamically determines whether to enroll users in the new authentication process, enabling automated decision-making that replaces manual intervention.
3Productivity
If a cookie-based automated enrollment system is implemented, then productivity is improved through rapid scaling, but device complexity increases due to cookie management mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses cookies as an intermediary mechanism to store and transmit user enrollment state between the client device and the authentication system. The cookie acts as a simple data carrier that enables the complex automated enrollment process to function through basic client-server interactions, masking the underlying complexity from both users and device operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments onboard users of a cloud based application from an old authentication process to a new authentication process. Embodiments receive an onboarding time window and receive a first authentication request from a user via a browser. When the first authentication request is received during the onboarding time window, embodiments associate a cookie with the browser and use the new authentication process to authenticate the user in response to the first authentication request. When the first authentication request is received outside of the onboarding time window, embodiments use the old authentication process to authenticate the user in response to the first authentication request.