Document Access Broker for Distributed Database Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for accessing electronic documents in distributed or replicated databases face challenges such as slow replication, lifecycle-dependent replication models, and security issues, leading to inefficiencies in collaboration and data access, particularly in large global software development environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that includes a location broker node, control node, and database node to facilitate secure and flexible access to electronic documents by determining potential database nodes with access, verifying access rights, and providing a document locator for efficient document retrieval, thereby bypassing replication delays and security limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If distributed or replicated databases are used to store electronic documents, then data availability and collaboration efficiency are improved, but replication delays and synchronization issues worsen access reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining metadata about document locations and replication status in advance. The location broker pre-processes access requests by querying multiple database nodes simultaneously to determine current document availability, rather than waiting for replication to complete. This allows the system to proactively identify and redirect to available copies before access attempts fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The location broker acts as an intermediary between users and distributed database nodes. It receives access requests, determines current document locations by querying database nodes, and redirects users to appropriate available copies. This mediator layer abstracts the complexity of distributed replication from end users, providing reliable access without requiring them to understand replication status or manually select database nodes.
2Reliability
If complete authentication and authorization facilities are implemented at all database nodes, then security is improved, but system complexity and maintenance burden worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal authentication and authorization framework that operates consistently across all database nodes using standard protocols. Rather than requiring custom security implementations at each node, the location broker coordinates with a centralized or distributed identity management system that provides uniform security policies. This universal approach maintains high security while reducing the complexity of implementing and maintaining node-specific security configurations.
3Ease of operation
If document replication is performed across multiple locations, then data accessibility is improved, but network costs and maintenance requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial replication strategies by replicating only the metadata about document locations and access rights across all database nodes, rather than fully replicating all documents. The location broker queries nodes to determine current document availability and redirects users accordingly. This partial action approach maintains data accessibility by knowing where documents are stored without incurring the full network costs and maintenance burden of complete document replication at all locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of accessing an electronic document located within a communication network including database nodes (180) having access to electronic documents is provided. The method comprises receiving a query from a user (110) via the communication network, the query indicating the electronic document to be accessed. The method further comprises determining, based on at least one predefined determination criterion, which of the database nodes (180) potentially have access to the electronic document indicated in the query. Moreover, the method comprises querying the determined database nodes (180) for determining a database node (180) having verified access to the electronic document.