Configurable Policy Delay Mechanism for Network Administration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional approaches to policy enforcement in computing networks are ad hoc, limited, and lack centralized management, leading to administrative burdens and inefficiencies, especially in heterogeneous environments with growing numbers of computing resources.
Innovation Solution
A system that enforces a configurable delay before policy changes take effect, allowing for robust administrative control through notification and cancellation mechanisms, ensuring that policy changes are beneficial and aligned with organizational requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional ad hoc policy enforcement approaches are used, then policy control can be implemented, but administrative burden increases significantly in heterogeneous computing environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments policy enforcement into distinct components: policy definition, policy validation, and policy execution. This allows complex policy management to be divided into manageable parts, reducing administrative burden while maintaining adaptability across heterogeneous computing environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal policy enforcement framework that can handle multiple policy types (access control, resource allocation, security) across diverse computing resources through a single standardized interface, eliminating the need for separate ad hoc approaches for each resource type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional policy enforcement approaches are used, then some policy control is achieved, but scalability deteriorates as computing resources grow large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach to policy enforcement by implementing a hierarchical policy structure with global, organizational, and local policy levels. This multi-dimensional framework enables scalable policy management across large distributed systems without sacrificing control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs policy intermediaries that act as mediators between policy definitions and resource execution. These intermediaries cache and validate policies locally, reducing communication overhead and enabling scalable policy enforcement as the system grows.
3Stability of the object's composition
If centralized policy management is used, then consistent policy management is achieved, but flexibility in response to changing requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic policy management where policies can be defined centrally for consistency but modified locally based on changing requirements. The system supports policy inheritance with local override capabilities, allowing organizations to maintain consistency while adapting to specific needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary policy validation and approval mechanisms that allow policy changes to be prepared and reviewed before taking effect. This enables centralized control to maintain consistency while providing flexibility for careful evaluation of policy changes before implementation.
4Speed
If policy changes are implemented immediately, then responsiveness is improved, but risk of erroneous or harmful policies increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary validation and approval steps before policy changes take effect. Policies undergo automated validation checks and require approval workflows before implementation, reducing the risk of erroneous policies while maintaining responsive implementation through efficient processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs policy sandboxing and testing environments that allow policy changes to be evaluated in isolation before full deployment. This cushioning mechanism prevents harmful policies from affecting the entire system while enabling rapid validation and safe implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
A request to cancel a change to a policy is received. Based at least in part on delay information for the change, determine that the change is currently delayed, where the delay information is associated with a condition precedent for the change to become effective under a policy change policy. A determination is made regarding whether cancellation is allowed by a set of conditions for the changes, and the proposed policy change is caused to be cancelled prior to a time indicated by the delay information.