Database Authentication Delegation for Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Database systems face challenges in maintaining high availability and load balancing during high workloads, leading to potential queuing, buffering, or rejection of requests, especially when a primary database system experiences disruptions, as existing solutions often require additional processing systems and may not efficiently manage workload distribution between primary and secondary systems without compromising disaster recovery capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A computer system configuration with a primary and secondary database system, where the secondary system acts as a hot-standby, capable of providing essential functionality during disruptions, by delegating authentication checks and query execution to the primary system using connection credentials, and utilizing security keys for encrypted communication, allowing for load balancing without diverging from the primary system's state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the primary database system handles all authentication requests, then security is maintained, but the system cannot provide load balancing or high availability during disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authentication delegation mechanism where the secondary database system acts as an intermediary that receives authentication requests from clients and forwards them to the primary database system for verification. This mediator approach allows the secondary system to participate in load balancing while maintaining security protocols, as it relays authentication through the primary system without compromising the centralized security model.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary database system is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a standby system for disaster recovery and as an active participant in load balancing. By implementing authentication delegation, the secondary system can handle client requests and perform authentication checks, making it a universal system that fulfills multiple roles without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
2Productivity
If the secondary database system executes queries independently, then load balancing is achieved, but security protocols may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication delegation mechanism positions the secondary database system as an intermediary that maintains security protocol integrity by forwarding authentication requests to the primary system. This allows the secondary system to execute queries independently for load balancing purposes while ensuring that all authentication checks are performed through the centralized primary system, thereby maintaining security protocol integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the secondary database system receives authentication results from the primary system and uses this feedback to determine whether to allow query execution. This feedback loop ensures that security decisions are made centrally while allowing distributed query execution, maintaining both security integrity and load balancing capabilities.
3Productivity
If additional processing systems are added for load balancing, then throughput increases, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the secondary database system universal by enabling it to perform multiple functions: serving as a disaster recovery standby and participating in load balancing through authentication delegation. This eliminates the need for additional dedicated processing systems, as the existing secondary system is enhanced to handle multiple roles, thereby increasing throughput without proportionally increasing system complexity or cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary database system is empowered to self-service by independently accepting client connections, performing authentication delegation, and executing queries. This self-service capability allows the secondary system to actively participate in load balancing without requiring complex external coordination or additional processing systems, simplifying the overall system architecture while improving throughput.
4Reliability
If the secondary database system is activated during disruptions, then availability is maintained, but authentication and security management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
During disruptions, the authentication delegation mechanism continues to function with the secondary database system acting as an intermediary. When the primary system is unavailable, the secondary system can still authenticate users by delegating to available primary instances or using cached credentials, maintaining continuous operation while managing authentication complexity through the established delegation protocol rather than requiring completely new authentication mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system is configured to provide a database system. The computer system comprises one or more processors, a primary database system implemented by the one or more processors, and a secondary database system implemented by the one or more processors. The secondary database system is configured as a hot-standby system for the primary database system. The secondary database system is capable of providing at least a minimum amount of essential functionality of the primary database system during a disruption to the primary database system. The secondary database system is configured by programming instructions, executable on the computer system, to cause the one or more processors to accept an authentication request from the client application to allow user access to the secondary database to execute the query and delegate an authentication check to the primary database system using connection credentials received from the client application. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.