Independent Management Controller for Control Plane Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network devices in distributed systems are vulnerable to compromise of their control planes, leading to misalignment of network traffic management with desired goals and subscription limits, which can result in compromised security and service quality.
Innovation Solution
A management controller operates independently from the control plane to enforce subscription limits by monitoring and remediating the data plane, using test policies and disguised network data units to verify compliance, and initiating corrective actions when the control plane is suspected of being compromised.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the control plane is used to manage network traffic, then network traffic management can be performed, but the control plane may be compromised leading to security vulnerabilities and service quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network device into two independent planes: a control plane for management functions and a data plane for traffic forwarding. The management controller operates independently from the control plane, creating a separation that prevents compromise of one plane from affecting the other. This segmentation allows network traffic management to continue even when the control plane is compromised.
Solution Approach 2:
The management controller acts as an intermediary between the network device and external management systems. It independently enforces subscription limits and monitors service levels without relying on the control plane, thereby mediating the security risk while maintaining network traffic management capabilities.
2Productivity
If the control plane is compromised, then security and service quality are degraded, but the network device continues to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The management controller continuously monitors service levels and compares them against subscription limits, creating a feedback loop that detects when the control plane fails to enforce policies correctly. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify compromised control planes and trigger remediation actions while maintaining overall network operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification by having the management controller independently check whether service levels match subscription limits before allowing the control plane to operate without oversight. This preliminary action prevents compromised control planes from causing service quality degradation undetected.
3Reliability
If independent monitoring is implemented to verify control plane compliance, then security and service quality are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management controller is designed as a universal component that can independently perform multiple functions: monitoring service levels, enforcing subscription limits, verifying control plane compliance, and initiating remediation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for managing the operation of a deployment are provided. The deployment may be managed in accordance with a subscription model. The subscription model may use subscriptions to define the extent and limits on use of services provided by the deployment. The subscription services and limits may be enforced by management controllers of network devices of the deployment. The management controllers may operate independently from control planes and data planes of the network devices. If a plane is suspected of being compromised, the management controllers may take action to confirm the suspicions. Test may be performed, and measurements may be taken to confirm whether a plane is compromised. If confirmed, then remedial activity may be initiated to address the compromised plane.