Migration Containers for Secure Cloud Data Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in managing temporary storage during data migration to the cloud, requiring manual procurement and lifecycle management, with security concerns unaddressed as existing solutions lack automatic encryption enforcement and secure data deletion mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based service provides pre-provisioned migration containers with automatic encryption and a lifespan-based deletion mechanism, using a migration container API that enforces encryption and automatically manages the lifecycle of temporary storage, ensuring secure and efficient data migration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual procurement and lifecycle management of temporary storage is used, then user control is maintained, but user burden and management complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser burdenVSAvoidmanagement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic lifecycle management of migration containers without requiring user intervention. The service automatically provisions containers, manages their lifecycles, and deletes them after migration completion, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-provisions migration containers before data migration begins and automatically manages their creation, activation, and deletion based on predefined policies. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for users to manually procure and manage temporary storage resources during the migration process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If existing temporary storage solutions are used, then storage functionality is provided, but security measures are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidsecurity risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements encryption for migration containers before data is stored, and automatically deletes containers after migration completion. This preliminary security measure prevents unauthorized access and ensures data protection throughout the migration lifecycle, countering security risks before they can manifest

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates temporary migration containers with predefined lifespans that are automatically deleted after use. These short-lived containers minimize the window of vulnerability for security attacks while providing sufficient functionality for data migration, reducing overall security risks associated with prolonged storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If automatic encryption enforcement is implemented, then data security is enhanced, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual security management processes with automated encryption and deletion mechanisms. By substituting user actions with automated system processes, the overhead of security operations is managed efficiently without requiring continuous user intervention or manual security configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If manual data deletion is required, then data security is maintained, but time and effort are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure deletionVSAvoiddeletion time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures deletion policies for migration containers, including automatic deletion timing and conditions. This preliminary setup ensures that data deletion occurs automatically after migration completion without requiring user action, saving time while maintaining security through predefined deletion protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10673823B2Migration containers

Publication Date: 2020.06.02 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Various systems and methods for provisioning migration containers are disclosed. A system includes a memory and a processor to generate a migration container and migration metadata. The migration container can store data verified as encrypted with an encryption key and the migration metadata can include a lifespan value indicating a time limit for the migration container. In an example, the system can, in response to a request from a user device, provide the encryption key and a migration container path corresponding to a location of the migration container to the user device. In an example, the system can store data in the migration container in response to detecting the data from the user device via the migration container path. The system can migrate the data in the migration container to a server, and delete the migration container in response to the time limit of the lifespan value being exceeded.