Plugin-Based Host Catalogs for Dynamic Multi-Cloud Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current identity-based access systems require manual configuration of hosts and host sets, lack interoperability with diverse cloud providers, and struggle with dynamic host management, leading to inefficiencies and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A plugin-based host interface and data model that enables dynamic host catalog capabilities, allowing for automated management and integration of hosts from various cloud providers, using a standardized API for third-party integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual configuration of hosts and host sets is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to time-consuming manual setup
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through automated host discovery and registration. The boundary service automatically discovers hosts in the target network environment, retrieves their configuration details, and registers them with access control policies without requiring manual operator intervention. This dramatically improves operational efficiency while the automation handles the complexity internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring host catalogs and host sets before actual access operations. The boundary service proactively discovers and registers hosts in advance, and pre-establishes access control policies and session management rules, so that when users need to access targets, the infrastructure is already prepared and operational efficiency is maximized.
2Adaptability or versatility
If static host catalogs are used, then configuration simplicity is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates due to inability to dynamically accommodate new hosts
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic host management where the boundary service continuously monitors the target network environment, automatically discovers new hosts as they become available, and dynamically updates host catalogs. This allows the system to adapt to changing infrastructure requirements while the automation manages the complexity of continuous discovery and registration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes feedback loops where the boundary service continuously queries the target network for host availability, receives feedback about new or changed hosts, and automatically adjusts the host catalog accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adaptation to infrastructure changes while the automated feedback processing handles the management complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vendor-provided libraries are used for cloud service interoperability, then integration capability is improved, but system complexity deteriorates due to multiple different APIs and configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary service implements a universal interface that can interact with multiple cloud service providers through a standardized mechanism. Rather than requiring separate integrations for each vendor, the boundary service uses a unified approach to discover hosts, retrieve configurations, and manage access across different cloud providers, thereby improving interoperability while the universal interface abstracts away the underlying complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The boundary service acts as an intermediary layer between the identity-based access system and various cloud service providers. It translates between different cloud provider APIs and the internal system requirements, managing the integration complexity internally while presenting a simplified interface to the rest of the system. This mediator role enables multi-cloud interoperability without exposing the complexity of multiple different APIs.
4Productivity
If automated host discovery is implemented, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in verifying host authenticity
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary service performs preliminary verification actions during the automated host discovery process. Before registering a discovered host, it validates the host's identity through preliminary checks such as verifying host metadata, checking authorization tokens, and confirming the host belongs to the intended target network. This preliminary verification maintains security accuracy while enabling automated high-speed registration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms during automated host discovery where each discovered host undergoes verification checks and the results feed back into the registration decision process. The boundary service receives feedback about host authenticity from various verification sources and uses this feedback to determine whether to register the host, thereby maintaining verification accuracy while proceeding with automated discovery.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for accessing computing elements of a cloud computing infrastructure includes a dynamic host interface associated with an identity-based access management system. The dynamic host interface is configured to receive host catalogs from components of the cloud computing infrastructure, each host catalog including one or more host sets, each of the one or more host sets including references to one or more hosts, where each of the one or more hosts represents an addressable computing element. The system further includes a plugin-based hosts model in a memory, and being configured to receive, from the dynamic host interface, the host catalogs for identity-based access to the one or more host sets by a user of a client computer to address the addressable computing element represented by the host.