Hostname-Expanded REST API for Asynchronous Endpoint Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing REST APIs require prior knowledge of individual hardware types and vendors to communicate with target endpoints, leading to cumbersome and inefficient methods for issuing HTTP requests.
Innovation Solution
A single, configurable REST API request that uses expandable hostnames and customizable options to generate multiple asynchronous HTTP requests, allowing for hardware-agnostic communication with endpoints by including hostname expansion, access credential lookup, and customizable actions for member traversal, search filters, and target actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple REST endpoints with specific target hardware and vendor URIs are used, then data can be extracted from specific hardware, but advanced knowledge of each vendor's configuration is required which increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a REST API as an intermediary layer between the user and the hardware endpoints. This API abstracts the complex vendor-specific URIs and configurations, providing a unified interface that automatically resolves to the appropriate hardware endpoints without requiring users to know the underlying complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The REST API provides a universal interface that can communicate with multiple different hardware types and vendors through a single standardized endpoint. The system handles different hardware configurations internally while presenting a consistent interface, eliminating the need for users to learn multiple vendor-specific protocols.
2Measurement precision
If individual HTTP requests are issued to each endpoint, then specific data can be retrieved, but the process becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual HTTP requests into a single REST API call. Instead of requiring users to manually construct and send separate requests to each hardware endpoint, the unified API aggregates these operations, automatically handling the complexity of multiple endpoints through one simplified interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The REST API performs self-service by automatically resolving hardware endpoints, authenticating requests, and managing the complexity of multiple underlying HTTP calls. The system handles the tedious tasks of endpoint resolution and request coordination without requiring user intervention in these complex areas.
3Quantity of substance
If synchronous requests are used for each endpoint, then data can be collected, but the process is time-consuming and blocks execution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asynchronous operation capabilities to the REST API, allowing the system to dynamically switch between synchronous and asynchronous request modes. This enables the API to collect data from multiple endpoints without blocking execution, significantly reducing time loss while maintaining complete data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The asynchronous request mechanism allows continuous useful action by enabling overlapping HTTP requests to proceed concurrently. Instead of sequentially waiting for each synchronous response, the system can initiate multiple requests simultaneously and collect data as it arrives, maintaining continuous progress without blocking execution.
Data Source
AI summary
A system receives a request, via a representational state transfer (REST) application programming interface (API). The request includes: a search term for hostnames; a starting universal resource identifier (URI) associated with the hostnames; and a flag indicating use of members corresponding to the hostnames. The system obtains the hostnames by searching a database based on the search term. The system generates Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests based on the starting URI, the obtained hostnames, and members corresponding to a respective obtained hostname. The system transmits the generated HTTP requests asynchronously to endpoints based on the REST API and receives data from the endpoints in response to the first request indicating a GET command.