Event-Based User State Synchronization in Local Cloud Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing systems face challenges in synchronizing user states across local and remote file systems, leading to resource-intensive setup processes, vulnerability to unauthorized access, and denial of access in offline modes due to disconnected active directory services.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for synchronizing user state information between remote and local file storage systems using event-based synchronization facilitated by persistent Web Socket connections, allowing for near-real-time updates and centralized control of user directories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user accounts are established locally at each storage device, then local access control is improved, but resource consumption and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
User accounts and access permissions are pre-configured in the cloud-based namespace before local storage devices are deployed. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for time-consuming local account creation at each device, while still ensuring proper access control is in place from the start
Solution Approach 2:
A single cloud-based namespace serves multiple local storage devices simultaneously, providing universal user account management across the entire system. This eliminates the need for separate local accounts at each device while maintaining security and access control
2Reliability
If user accounts are established locally at each storage device, then local access control is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based namespace automatically manages user accounts and access permissions across all local storage devices without requiring IT personnel intervention at each device. The system self-configures and maintains access control, eliminating manual resource consumption
Solution Approach 2:
A single cloud-based namespace serves multiple local storage devices simultaneously, providing universal user account management across the entire system. This eliminates the need for separate local accounts at each device while maintaining security and access control
3Reliability
If authentication with active directory service is required, then access security is improved, but access availability deteriorates when connection is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based namespace acts as an intermediary between users and local storage devices, maintaining local copies of user credentials and permissions. This allows authentication to occur locally without requiring continuous connection to the active directory service, while still enforcing security policies
Solution Approach 2:
User credentials and access permissions are pre-synchronized to the cloud-based namespace before offline operation begins. This preliminary action enables the namespace to authenticate users locally without real-time connection to the active directory service
Data Source
AI summary
Cloud storage systems and methods are described for providing event-based user state synchronization among the various cloud elements. A global user directory is maintained on a remote cloud storage system. The global user directory includes a plurality of global user definitions associated with a plurality of user accounts, where each of the user accounts has access to at least one of a remote file system hosted by the remote cloud storage system and a local file system hosted by a local cloud storage system. As global user definition are altered on the remote cloud storage system, user events are generated and communicated to the local cloud storage system, where they are applied to synchronize the local user definitions with the global user definitions. The invention facilitates centralized control of user definitions, near real-time event delivery to local cloud storage systems, and separation of authentication processes from customers' active directory services.