IT Policy Management via Global and Per-User Rule Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing IT policies across a network becomes complex when there are numerous user exceptions, as creating separate policies for each exception increases administrative complexity and data management challenges.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows for both global and per-user IT policy rules, where global policies apply to all users within a group and per-user policies can override or modify specific rules for individual users, using a method to merge and send updated IT policy data efficiently to devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate IT policies are created for each user exception, then per-user customization is achieved, but policy management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments IT policy into two distinct layers: global policy applicable to all users and user-specific policy for individual exceptions. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a single standardized global policy while accommodating per-user customizations through separate user-specific policy files, thereby reducing overall management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges global policy and user-specific policy into a unified policy enforcement mechanism. The system automatically combines these separate policy layers when applying policies to users, ensuring that global settings are maintained while user exceptions are properly applied without requiring manual consolidation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple customized policies are created for different user groups, then user-specific rules are implemented, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal global policy that serves all users by default, eliminating the need to create separate customized policies for each user group. This single universal policy file contains the standardized settings that apply organization-wide, while user-specific exceptions are handled through individual user policy files rather than creating entirely separate group policies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts user-specific exceptions from the global policy into separate user-specific policy files. This extraction allows the global policy to remain standardized and unchanged while accommodating individual user needs through dedicated exception files, reducing the need to create multiple customized group policies.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a standardized IT policy is applied to all users, then policy consistency is maintained, but user exceptions cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing user-specific policy files to override global policy settings for individual users while maintaining the standardized global policy for all other users. This enables localized exceptions without compromising the overall consistency and stability of the global IT policy framework.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are described herein for standardizing an IT policy that is used to configure devices operating on a network. An IT policy can be generated that applies to a group of users or to one or more special users without having to define and store a new IT policy for each special user. This can be achieved by specifying global and per-user IT policy rules and merging these rules as needed to produce IT policy data.