External Key Manager Error Handling for Transient Key Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing database management systems (DBMS) prematurely unload encrypted data when transient errors occur in communication with external key managers (EKMs), leading to unnecessary downtime and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
Implement an observation period during which the DBMS polls the EKM to determine if the external key is temporarily unavailable, delaying data unloading until the observation period expires, and resumes normal operations if the key becomes accessible again.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the DBMS immediately unloads encrypted data when external key access fails, then data security is maintained, but system uptime and resource utilization deteriorate due to premature unloading during transient errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by starting an observation period and polling the EKM to check key availability before committing to data unloading. This preliminary check allows transient errors to resolve themselves before security measures are activated, thus maintaining uptime while preserving security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its response based on the duration and nature of the error. By implementing a time-based observation period with repeated polling, the system transitions from an immediate static response (unload data) to a dynamic assessment that can resolve transient issues while maintaining security protocols for persistent failures.
2Productivity
If the DBMS implements an observation period with polling, then system uptime is improved by allowing transient errors to resolve, but system complexity increases due to additional error handling logic
Solution Approach 1:
The observation period implements a feedback mechanism where the DBMS repeatedly polls the EKM to check key availability. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically detect when transient errors have resolved and resume normal operations without manual intervention, managing complexity through automated monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the time parameter by introducing an observation period duration that determines when unloading should occur. This parameter-based approach provides a clear, configurable threshold for error tolerance, simplifying the decision logic compared to complex error analysis.
3Measurement precision
If the DBMS polls the EKM repeatedly during the observation period, then accurate detection of key availability is improved, but computational resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic polling at defined intervals during the observation period rather than continuous monitoring. This periodic approach provides sufficient detection accuracy to distinguish transient errors from persistent failures while limiting computational overhead by not constantly querying the EKM.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a system for responding to transient errors temporarily preventing a computing platform hosting data from communicating with an external key manager hosting keys used to encrypt the platform data. The encryption key can be controlled external to the system in an external key manager (EKM). If an error occurs in which the system and the EKM are temporarily not in communication, the external key controlled by the EKM is temporarily not available. The system begins an observation period, during which the observation period the system polls the EKM to check if the external key continues to be unavailable. The system unloads the encrypted data if, after the expiration of the observation period, the EKM is still not available. If the EKM and the external key becomes accessible again during the observation period, the system cancels the observation period and resumes normal operation.