Multi-Array Access Profiles Using Cloud Token Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage array technologies face challenges in providing efficient and secure access and administration, particularly in cloud-based environments, due to the complexity of user authorization and authentication processes.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based security module authenticates user credentials, generates tokens representing authorized access privileges, and provides them to client-side array services modules, which determine access requests based on these tokens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional user authorization and authentication processes are used in cloud-based storage systems, then security can be maintained, but administrative complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based security module as an intermediary between users and storage arrays. This module handles authentication and authorization by generating and managing tokens, thereby reducing administrative complexity while maintaining security. The security module acts as a mediator that centralizes security management functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud-based security module provides multiple functions including authentication, authorization, token generation, and privilege management within a single unified system. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate security mechanisms, reducing overall administrative complexity.
2Device complexity
If cloud-based token authentication is implemented, then administrative complexity is reduced, but system compatibility requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The security module is designed to work with multiple storage array services and client-side array services modules through a universal token-based interface. This allows the same authentication mechanism to serve diverse storage systems, maintaining compatibility across different platforms while simplifying administration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple storage array services are accessed by different users, then system versatility is improved, but access control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based security module serves as an intermediary that manages access control for multiple storage array services. It handles user authentication and generates tokens that encode authorized access privileges, thereby simplifying access control across multiple services without requiring complex individual authorization mechanisms for each service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses token copies to represent user credentials and authorized access privileges. Instead of managing complex access control lists for each service, the security module creates token copies that can be presented to multiple storage array services, simplifying access control while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Providing authorization and authentication in a cloud for a user of a storage array includes: receiving, by a storage array access module from a client-side array services module, a token representing authentication of user credentials and authorized access privileges defining one or more storage array services accessible by the user, where the token is generated by a cloud-based security module upon authentication of the user credentials and identification of authorized access privileges for the user; receiving, by the storage array access module from the user, a user access request to one or more storage array services; and determining, by the storage array access module, whether to grant the user access request in dependence upon the authorized access privileges represented by the token.