Peripheral Management in Hoteling Cubes via Filter Driver
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hoteling management systems lack the ability to effectively manage and control peripherals in workspace environments, leading to difficulties in tracking available peripherals, preventing unauthorized use, and enforcing restrictions on peripheral usage, making peripheral management a manual and non-scalable process.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that associates peripherals with hoteling cubes, allowing users to request additional peripherals, and enabling the inclusion of user-owned peripherals, using a client computing device agent and filter driver to manage and restrict peripheral usage based on cached information and database tables, ensuring that only authorized peripherals are included in workspaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an administrator manually tracks and manages peripherals in a hoteling management system, then peripheral tracking is possible, but the process is not scalable and requires significant administrative time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through automated peripheral detection and registration. When a client computing device connects to a hoteling cube, the filter driver automatically detects connected peripherals, retrieves their information, and registers them in the hoteling management system without requiring manual administrator intervention. This self-automating process maintains accurate tracking while eliminating the time-consuming manual entry required by administrators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of peripheral tracking with an automated software-based system. The filter driver, operating at the kernel level, automatically intercepts peripheral connection events, captures device information, and updates the hoteling management system database. This substitution of manual administrative work with automated software mechanisms dramatically improves productivity while maintaining reliable tracking.
2Reliability
If administrators place restrictions on peripheral usage to prevent unauthorized use, then security is improved, but user flexibility and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality by applying different access control policies to different peripherals and different hoteling cubes. Administrators can configure specific restrictions for specific peripherals (e.g., read-only access for storage devices, blocked access for unauthorized devices) and for specific hoteling cubes. This granular, location-specific approach maintains security while allowing users flexible access to authorized peripherals in their assigned workspaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter driver acts as an intermediary between the operating system and peripheral devices. It intercepts all peripheral access requests, checks them against the configured policies in the hoteling management system, and either allows or blocks the access. This intermediary mechanism enforces security restrictions transparently without requiring user awareness or action, thereby maintaining both security control and user flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If the system allows users to bring their own peripherals to workspaces, then user convenience is improved, but control over peripheral security and usage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by requiring users to register their personal peripherals with the hoteling management system before they can be used in workspaces. During registration, the system captures peripheral information and associates it with the user's account. When the user connects their registered peripheral to a hoteling cube, the filter driver automatically recognizes it and allows access based on pre-configured policies. This preliminary registration step maintains security control while enabling user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the filter driver continuously monitors peripheral connections and communicates with the hoteling management system. When a user connects a registered peripheral, the system provides feedback confirming successful recognition and access. If an unauthorized peripheral is detected, the system provides feedback to block access and notify the administrator. This continuous feedback loop maintains security control while facilitating legitimate user convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
Peripherals can be managed in a workspace environment. Peripherals can be associated with hoteling cubes to enable the inclusion of the peripherals in workspaces at the hoteling cubes to be managed. Users can be enabled to request the inclusion of additional peripherals in workspaces at the hoteling cubes. Users can also be enabled to include their own peripherals in workspaces at the hoteling cubes.