Configurable Memory Swapping for Secure Server Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud computing systems face significant downtime and overhead in recycling memory resources due to the time-consuming process of erasing data from previous users and reconfiguring them for new users, which reduces the availability of resources and introduces security risks.
Innovation Solution
A memory restoration system that utilizes a root of trust processor to concurrently recycle inactive memory by erasing data and reconfiguring it to a factory state while the active memory is still available for use, using a switch to swap access between memory parts, enabling swift preparation and reuse without interfering with the current user's access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory is erased and reconfigured for reuse by the same processor, then data security is ensured, but resource downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides memory into multiple independent memory parts (first memory part, second memory part) that can be operated on separately. While one memory part is in use by a user, another memory part can be erased and reconfigured by the root of trust processor, allowing parallel processing of memory operations to reduce overall downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The root of trust processor performs erasure and reconfiguration of memory parts in advance before they are needed by users. By preparing memory parts beforehand and having them ready in a pool of available memory, the system eliminates the need for downtime when a user needs to switch memory, as pre-prepared memory parts are immediately available
2Productivity
If memory recycling is performed quickly, then resource availability improves, but data security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The root of trust processor is extracted as a separate, dedicated component from the main service processor. This specialized processor is solely responsible for secure erasure and reconfiguration operations, ensuring that security-critical tasks are handled by a trusted entity while the service processor handles user operations, thus maintaining both speed and security
Solution Approach 2:
The root of trust processor acts as an intermediary between the service processor and the memory parts. It mediates the transfer of memory parts between active and inactive states, ensuring that erasure and reconfiguration are completed securely before memory parts are made available for reuse, thus bridging the gap between speed and security requirements
Data Source
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AI summary
The present memory restoration system enables a collection of computing systems to prepare inactive rewritable memory for reserve and future replacement of other memory while the other memory is active and available for access by a user of the computing system. The preparation of the reserved memory part is performed off-line in a manner that is isolated from the current user of the active memory part. Preparation of memory includes erasure of data, reconfiguration, etc. The memory restoration system allows for simple exchange of the reserved memory part, once the active memory part is returned. The previously active memory may be concurrently recycled for future reuse in this same manner to become a reserved memory. This enables the computing collection infrastructure to "swap" to what was previously the inactive memory part when a user vacates a server, speeding up the server wipe process.