Hardware Trust Boundaries in Data Confidence Fabric

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data confidence fabrics lack hardware awareness, preventing hardware from effectively contributing to and enhancing data confidence scores, as they do not account for hardware configurations and trust insertion technologies.

Innovation Solution

Implementing hardware-assisted trust insertion technologies within data confidence fabrics, allowing hardware nodes to evaluate and contribute to confidence scores based on their capabilities, and establishing trusted and auditable node connectivity and interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If software-only data confidence fabric is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but hardware trust capabilities are not utilized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata trustworthinessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges software data confidence fabric with hardware trust insertion technologies. The system combines software-based confidence scoring with hardware-based trust boundaries, creating a hybrid architecture where hardware peripherals (smart NICs, FPGAs, secure enclaves) work together with software components to enhance data trustworthiness through multiple layers of verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces hardware trust boundaries as intermediary components between data sources and the data confidence fabric. These hardware intermediaries (smart NICs, FPGAs, secure enclaves) act as mediators that verify data provenance and add trust metadata before data enters the software-based confidence scoring system, enabling hardware to contribute to trust without requiring full hardware awareness of the entire fabric.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If hardware awareness is implemented, then hardware can contribute to confidence scores, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfidence score accuracyVSAvoidhardware configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments hardware trust capabilities into distinct, standardized components (smart NICs, FPGAs, secure enclaves, PUFs) that can be independently configured and verified. Each hardware component has a specific trust insertion function, allowing the system to leverage hardware capabilities without requiring full system-wide hardware awareness, thus managing complexity through functional segmentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal hardware interface layer that allows different hardware types (smart NICs, FPGAs, secure enclaves) to contribute to the data confidence fabric through standardized trust insertion mechanisms. This universal interface enables hardware to contribute to confidence scores without requiring complex, hardware-specific integration logic for each device type.

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

3Object-affected harmful factors

If hardware trust boundaries are established, then data protection is enhanced, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidsystem operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service mechanisms where hardware components automatically perform trust verification and confidence score generation without requiring manual intervention. The hardware trust boundaries autonomously verify data provenance, generate hardware-based confidence scores, and enforce trust policies, reducing operational complexity despite enhanced security capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes feedback loops where hardware trust boundaries continuously monitor data flow, verify trust conditions, and adjust confidence scores in real-time. This automated feedback mechanism ensures data protection is maintained while simplifying operation, as the system self-regulates trust verification without requiring manual security management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11599522B2Hardware trust boundaries and graphs in a data confidence fabric
Publication Date: 2023.03.07 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC
  • US11599522B2 patent drawing
  • US11599522B2 patent drawing
  • US11599522B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Hardware trust boundaries in a data confidence fabric are provided. Nodes in a data confidence fabric are provisioned with identifies and confidence scores. Hardware-based trust insertion technologies are applied to data in the data confidence fabric. Protocols allow nodes to join the data confidence fabric and be aware of other nodes. Paths of data can be graphed and audited.