External Account Resource Management via Virtual Sub-Accounts

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing master-slave account system in cloud computing environments lacks flexibility, requiring resource management staff to remember multiple account names and passwords for managing cloud resources across multiple users, leading to increased administrative burden and security risks due to the use of simple or repeated passwords.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for managing resources using an external account, which involves identity verification of an external account via a server and querying a virtual sub-account bound to the external account, allowing the external account to manage internal main account resources based on pre-configured rights, thereby simplifying the management process and enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the master-slave account system is used to manage cloud resources, then resource management is enabled, but the system lacks flexibility and requires management staff to remember multiple account names and passwords

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of resource managementVSAvoidcomplexity of account management
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an account association relationship as an intermediary mechanism between the external account and multiple internal main accounts. Instead of requiring staff to manage multiple independent sub-accounts, the system establishes an associative relationship where a single external account can be linked to multiple internal main accounts through virtual sub-accounts. This intermediary layer simplifies the management process while maintaining the necessary access controls and security boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The external account is designed to perform multiple functions by being associated with multiple internal main accounts. A single external account can manage resources across different users and platforms simultaneously, eliminating the need to create and manage separate sub-accounts for each internal main account. This multi-functionality reduces the number of accounts to remember while maintaining granular access control through the association relationship.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple sub-accounts are created for managing multiple internal main accounts, then resource access is enabled, but security risks increase due to use of simple or repeated passwords

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity of account managementVSAvoidease of password management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The account association relationship serves as a security intermediary that eliminates the need for management staff to directly handle multiple passwords. The system mediates access by establishing trusted relationships between the external account and internal main accounts through virtual sub-accounts, allowing staff to access multiple accounts using a single password while maintaining the security boundaries of each internal account.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service authentication where the external account automatically manages its own access to multiple internal main accounts through the association relationship. The platform handles the authentication and authorization processes automatically, eliminating the need for staff to manually manage multiple passwords or account credentials, thereby improving both security and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If sub-accounts are created under each internal main account, then resource management is enabled, but the account names and passwords cannot be managed in a unified manner

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in resource managementVSAvoidcomplexity of account management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating sub-accounts under each internal main account (traditional hierarchical approach), the patent inverts the relationship by allowing a single external account to associate with multiple internal main accounts. This inversion changes the management paradigm from managing multiple independent sub-accounts to managing a single external account with associative relationships, thereby achieving unified management while maintaining flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The external account is designed with universal functionality to manage multiple internal main accounts simultaneously. Through the account association relationship, a single external account can access and manage resources across different users and platforms, providing unified account management while maintaining the adaptability to work with multiple internal main accounts and their respective resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3334505B1Method and device for managing resources with an external account
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LTD
  • EP3334505B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3334505B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3334505B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Method and device for managing cloud computing resources with an external account,the resources being associated with one or more internal main accounts. The method includes verifying an identity of the external account via a server, determining, if the identity of the extemal account is verified, whether a virtual sub-account is bound to the extemal account, the virtual sub-account being subordinate to an internal main account of the one or more internal main accounts, and allowing, if it is determined that the virtual sub-account is bound to the external account, the external account to manage the resources associated with the internal main account based on pre-configured rights of the virtual sub-account.