Enterprise Data Container for Cross-Environment Security Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing enterprise data management (EDM) solutions are proprietary and not applicable across different computing environments, leading to inconsistent security and data handling policies, which can be exploited by bad actors and hinder data tracking across boundaries.

Innovation Solution

An enterprise data container (EDC) that serves as a message wrapper, encapsulating data with metadata, handling information, and signatures, providing a uniform interface across computing environments, ensuring secure and trackable data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If proprietary EDM solutions are implemented in a particular computing environment, then document security and data handling are improved, but adaptability to other computing environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument securityVSAvoidcomputing environment adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by creating an EDM solution that functions across multiple computing environments through a standardized container format. The EDC container encapsulates data with environment-agnostic metadata, security policies, and handling instructions, enabling the same container to be processed by different computing environments without proprietary adaptations. This resolves the contradiction by making the system universally applicable while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The EDC container acts as an intermediary between different computing environments, mediating data exchange with embedded security policies and handling instructions. The container format serves as a neutral intermediary that translates between different environment requirements, allowing proprietary security measures to be encapsulated within the container itself rather than requiring environment-specific implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If proprietary EDM solutions are implemented, then data handling control is improved, but ease of operation across different environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata handling controlVSAvoidcross-environment operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The standardized EDC container format provides universal operation across computing environments by embedding all necessary handling controls, security policies, and metadata within the container itself. This eliminates the need for environment-specific configuration or proprietary interfaces, making the system easy to operate across different platforms while maintaining strict data handling control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The EDC container is self-service in that it carries its own security policies, handling instructions, and validation rules embedded within its structure. Each container is self-contained with all necessary information for secure processing, eliminating the need for external proprietary systems or complex environment-specific configuration. This makes the system easy to operate while maintaining control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Speed

If data is transferred between computing environments without a standardized container, then transfer speed is improved, but data integrity and security policy enforcement deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer speedVSAvoiddata integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The EDC container applies preliminary action by pre-embedding security policies, integrity validation rules, and handling instructions within the container structure before data transfer. This allows receiving systems to process containers efficiently without requiring complex runtime security checks or environment-specific validation, maintaining both high transfer speed and data integrity through pre-configured controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If proprietary EDM solutions are used, then security policy enforcement is improved, but device complexity across multiple environments increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity policy enforcementVSAvoidmulti-environment system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The standardized EDC container reduces device complexity by providing a universal format that can be processed by any computing environment with basic container parsing capability. Security policy enforcement is simplified because policies are embedded within the container itself rather than requiring complex environment-specific security systems. This maintains strong security while reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12468829B2Enterprise data container

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for an enterprise data container (EDC) that facilitates the secure transfer of data between data boundaries of one or more computing environments. In examples, the EDC serves as a message wrapper for transmitted data. The EDC includes metadata, identification, tracking, security attributes, authenticity, and handling caveats relevant to the operational constraints of one or more computing environments through which data is transferred. The EDC is computing environment agnostic and agnostically manages the data wrapped in the EDC.