Unified Cloud Interface via Mediator Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud computing services do not allow for a unified user interface (UI) and application programming interface (API) experience across different cloud services, making it difficult for users to access and manage resources from multiple clouds seamlessly.
Innovation Solution
The integration of UI and API across multiple clouds is achieved by hosting UI extensions for different cloud services in a single browser window, with a connector service that proxies calls across clouds, enabling a single management service and federated identity providers for a single sign-in experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each cloud service provides its own proprietary user interface and API, then each cloud service can maintain its unique functionality and security model, but users must learn and use multiple different interfaces to access resources across different clouds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud management platform as an intermediary layer between users and multiple cloud services. This platform provides a unified user interface that abstracts the complexity of different cloud providers' proprietary interfaces. The mediator translates user interactions into appropriate API calls for each underlying cloud service, allowing users to access resources from AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and other providers through a single consistent interface without needing to learn each provider's specific terminology and controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud management platform implements universality by designing a single interface that can perform multiple functions across different cloud environments. The same interface structure, resource management concepts, and operational procedures work consistently whether the user is accessing virtual machines, storage, or networking resources from any supported cloud provider. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate specialized interfaces for each cloud service type.
2Reliability
If users need to sign in separately to each cloud service, then each cloud service can maintain its own authentication security model, but the user experience becomes fragmented and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud management platform acts as an authentication mediator that sits between the user and multiple cloud services. It implements a single sign-on mechanism where users authenticate once with the platform, and the platform then provides authenticated access to all connected cloud services. The mediator handles the complex task of translating a single authentication event into appropriate authentication tokens for each underlying cloud provider, maintaining security while eliminating repeated sign-in requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple separate authentication processes into a single unified authentication event. Instead of requiring users to sign in to AWS, Azure, and other cloud services individually, the platform combines these into one authentication flow. The merged authentication mechanism shares authentication state and security context across all cloud services, reducing the total time spent on authentication while maintaining the security models of each provider.
3Productivity
If resources from different clouds are accessed through separate interfaces, then each cloud service can be accessed with optimized native tools, but the overall system complexity increases and resource management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cloud management platform into modular functional components, each responsible for specific tasks such as resource discovery, authentication, resource management, and billing. These segmented modules can independently manage different cloud services while maintaining a unified overall architecture. The segmentation allows complex cloud management functions to be broken down into manageable units that can be optimized for each cloud provider while remaining part of the integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud management platform serves as a mediator that translates high-level resource management operations into cloud-provider-specific actions. When users need to manage resources across multiple clouds, the intermediary platform handles the complexity of mapping these operations to the appropriate native APIs and tools for each provider. This mediation layer consolidates management complexity into a single platform rather than requiring users to directly manage each cloud service separately.
Data Source
AI summary
User interface integration across multiple clouds is achieved by hosting UI extensions for different services in the same browser window. The UI extensions are initialized by a shell with any necessary security context for the corresponding cloud. The shell provides versioning so that the newest version of the UI is presented to users for all versions of a service. A connector in a local cloud provides translation between APIs across different clouds.