Cluster Management Proxy for Multi-Tenant Storage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage configurations face challenges in managing shared storage clusters among multiple tenants, where security concerns limit access and functionality, preventing tenants from effectively managing their data while avoiding access to others' data.
Innovation Solution
A cluster management proxy that receives and modifies requests to restrict access based on tenant identity, allowing tenants to perform management operations within their scope while preventing access to other tenants' data, by determining whether requests are within admissible cluster management requests and tunneling non-admissible requests to a Storage Virtual Machine (SVM) for processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a storage cluster is shared by multiple tenants, then resource utilization is improved, but security and access control become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cluster management proxy as an intermediary component that sits between tenants and the shared storage cluster. The proxy receives management requests from tenants, modifies them to include appropriate access restrictions based on tenant identity, and forwards them to the cluster. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by enabling multi-tenant sharing while automatically handling the complex access control requirements without requiring direct tenant-cluster security configurations.
2Ease of operation
If tenants are given greater control over management functionality, then ease of operation is improved, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cluster management proxy acts as a security intermediary that enables tenants to exercise management control while preventing security risks. The proxy modifies tenant requests to include access restrictions based on tenant identity, allowing tenants to perform management operations within their authorized scope while blocking any potentially harmful access attempts. This resolves the contradiction by providing tenant control through the proxy's automated security enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring access restrictions and modifying requests before they reach the storage cluster. The cluster management proxy proactively prevents unauthorized access by embedding security constraints in the request modification process, stopping potential security violations before they can affect other tenants' data.
3Reliability
If access restrictions are applied to prevent tenant data exposure, then security is improved, but functionality and ease of management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cluster management proxy serves as an intelligent intermediary that reconciles security requirements with management functionality. It automatically modifies tenant requests to include appropriate access restrictions while maintaining the full range of management operations. The proxy translates tenant management intent into secure cluster commands, ensuring data isolation is enforced without requiring tenants to understand or configure security parameters manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by enabling tenants to perform management operations directly through the proxy without requiring administrator intervention. The proxy automatically handles security restrictions, request modification, and cluster communication, allowing tenants to manage their storage resources independently while maintaining security. This resolves the contradiction by making security management transparent and automatic.
Data Source
AI summary
A request is received, from a tenant by a cluster management proxy, to perform a cluster management operation within a cluster that is storing data from multiple tenants that include the tenant. In response to determining that the request is within a group of admissible cluster management requests for the cluster, the request is modified, by the cluster management proxy, to restrict access of the cluster management operation based on an identity of the tenant. The cluster is accessed, by the cluster management proxy, based on the modified request that has restricted access of the cluster management operation. In response to determining that the request is not within the group, the request is tunneled to a Storage Virtual Machine (SVM) assigned to the tenant. The SVM is configured to access the cluster based on the request.