Cloud Proxy HTTP Tunneling for Secure On-Premises Server Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for providing communications between on-premises servers and remote devices through cloud-based proxy servers face challenges in securing backend servers from attacks and require costly modifications to allow remote access, which increases complexity and time.
Innovation Solution
Implementing HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) tunneling using on-premises agents to enable secure communication between backend servers and cloud-based proxy servers, allowing remote access without modifying existing server applications, and providing load handling capabilities through secure and non-secure channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If backend server applications are modified to be hosted in the cloud for quick and simple access, then accessibility to remote devices is improved, but security vulnerability to attacks from remote devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based proxy server as an intermediary between remote devices and backend servers. The proxy server receives requests from remote devices, establishes HTTP tunnels to the backend servers, and forwards requests through these tunnels. This mediator approach allows remote access without directly exposing backend servers to the internet, thus maintaining security while enabling accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If backend server applications are modified to allow remote access, then accessibility is improved, but system complexity and implementation time increase due to security audits and monitoring topology requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements agents deployed on backend servers that autonomously create and manage HTTP tunnels to the proxy server. These agents self-configure the tunneling connections without requiring manual security audits or topology monitoring setup. The automated agent-based approach eliminates the need for complex security configurations while enabling remote access.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If HTTP tunneling is implemented through cloud-based proxy servers with on-premises agents, then security is improved by protecting backend servers from direct attacks, but system complexity increases due to tunnel management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tunnel management functionality from the proxy server and places it in agents deployed on the backend servers themselves. This extraction allows the proxy server to focus solely on receiving and forwarding requests, while the agents handle tunnel creation, maintenance, and teardown locally. This distribution of responsibilities simplifies the overall system architecture despite the added tunneling layer.
Data Source
AI summary
A system having an off-premises proxy server residing in a cloud computing environment and backend servers residing in an enterprise computing environment are provided. Requests received by the off-premises proxy server for access to a first, non-publicly accessible backend server are routed to a tunnel server which stores the request and waits to be polled by a tunnel agent connected to the first backend server. When the tunnel server is polled, the request is forwarded through an HTTP tunnel to the tunnel agent, which forwards it to the backend server for processing. Responsive information is returned to the tunnel agent, which forwards it through the HTTP tunnel to the tunnel server and returned through the off-premises proxy server to the remote application. Requests for access to a first, publicly accessible backend server are routed by the off-premises proxy server directly to the backend server for processing and return of responsive information.