Pre-authorization Token Mechanism for Service Request Latency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network environments face performance degradation due to the computational overhead and latency caused by repeated authentication processes between services, particularly in complex systems with increased inter-dependencies, where each service request requires repeated validation and authorization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a recurring background process to pre-authorize service requests by generating and validating pre-authorization tokens, which are stored for later use, reducing the need for real-time authentication and authorization during service requests, thus minimizing computational overhead and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If repeated authentication processes are performed between services for each service request, then security and authorization are maintained, but computational overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs authentication and authorization actions in advance by issuing pre-authorization tokens before actual service requests occur. The target service authenticates the request service and generates a token that validates future requests without requiring repeated authentication, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining authorization validity and reducing authentication latency
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of repeatedly performing full authentication processes, the system creates a simplified copy in the form of a pre-authorization token that contains the essential authorization information. This token can be quickly validated by comparing signatures without re-executing the complete authentication workflow, maintaining security while reducing time loss
2Reliability
If repeated authentication processes are performed between services for each service request, then authorization is validated, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computationally intensive authentication and signature generation operations are performed in advance during token issuance. The target service validates the request service's signature and creates a pre-authorization token, moving the heavy computational workload away from the path of frequent service requests, thus reducing computational overhead while maintaining authorization validation
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces repeated complex authentication computations with simple token validation operations. By copying the essential authorization data into a pre-authorized token with a valid signature, the system avoids re-computating authentication proofs for each service request, significantly reducing computational overhead
3Speed
If pre-authorization tokens are stored for later use, then service request speed improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system stores simplified copies of authorization data in the form of pre-authorization tokens with pre-computed signatures. These tokens contain only the essential validation information needed for quick verification, avoiding the need to store complex authentication states or session data, thus improving speed while limiting the increase in system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for authorizing a service request between two services in a network environment are disclosed. One method includes, in a recurring background process occurring separate from a service request, having a target service obtain a pre-authorization token including a signature of the request service. In response to confirming the pre-authorization token was issued by the request service, the pre-authorization token is acknowledged and stored for access by instance(s) of the target service. The acknowledged pre-authorization token is saved for use with service requests to the target service from the request service. In response to receiving a service request including pre-authorization token at an instance of the target service, the method confirms the pre-authorization token matches a stored, acknowledged pre-authorization token, and, if so confirmed, authorizes the service request. Pre-authorization tokens have a set duration. The methods and systems reduce computational overhead of the authorization, resulting in decreased latency.