Encryption Key Namespace for Container Workloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing systems face challenges in managing encryption keys for containerized applications, particularly when containers migrate across hosts, requiring manual configuration and potential data corruption due to errors in key management.
Innovation Solution
An encryption key namespace is configured on a host computing device to associate a key identifier with a container identifier, allowing automatic retrieval of the appropriate encryption key from a key management service, ensuring seamless key management across multiple hosts without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration of encryption keys is used for containerized applications, then key management can be performed, but the complexity of operation increases and the risk of data corruption due to errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service key management by automatically retrieving encryption keys from a key management service using container identifiers. The host computing device performs key retrieval and configuration without requiring manual user intervention, thereby reducing operational errors and improving data integrity while maintaining ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If encryption keys are managed manually for migrating containers, then key management is possible, but the time required for configuration increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the encryption key namespace with the association between container identifiers and key identifiers before container migration occurs. When a container migrates to a new host, the key is already available in the namespace, enabling immediate decryption operations without requiring time-consuming manual key retrieval or configuration steps.
3Ease of operation
If automatic key retrieval is implemented, then the ease of operation improves and productivity increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key namespace acts as an intermediary layer between the containerized applications and the key management service. It stores the association between container identifiers and key identifiers locally on the host computing device, enabling automatic key retrieval without requiring complex direct integration with external key management services. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining automatic key management capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, techniques are described for an encryption key namespace of a kernel, executed by a host computing device, the encryption key namespace having a configuration file that stores an association of a key identifier and a container identifier by which the host computing device can obtain a data encryption key to use for decrypting/encrypting data for the container identified by the container identifier. In this way, a user may associate a container (or container image) with a unique key identifier. By configuring this association in the encryption key namespace for the container, the container may be identified and automatically associated with a key identifier for the appropriate key for decrypting/encrypting data for the container. The host computing device may then obtain, from a key management service, the key using the key identifier.