Proxy Data Relay for IMAP Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems lack efficient mechanisms for modifying data in transit while maintaining consistency and integrity, particularly in email communication protocols like IMAP, where compression and decompression can lead to inconsistencies and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a request acquiring unit, configuration information acquiring unit, configuration information changing unit, data changing unit, and data transmitting unit that acquires, modifies, and transmits data and configuration information in a way that maintains consistency, allowing for inspection and modification of data in transit, such as adding notifications for harmful content or adjusting data sizes, using a communication inspection device that acts as a proxy between clients and servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If compression and decompression are applied to e-mail data in transit, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but data consistency and integrity deteriorate due to parameter mismatches in IMAP commands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay device as an intermediary between the e-mail transfer server and IMAP server. This relay device performs compression on outgoing e-mail data and corresponding decompression on incoming data, acting as a mediator that maintains data consistency across the network transmission while enabling efficient compression. The relay device specifically manages IMAP command parameters (like UID FETCH) to ensure they remain consistent despite compression operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting e-mail data parameters (compression status, size) and corresponding IMAP command parameters (UID FETCH parameters) to maintain consistency. The system changes the compression state of e-mail data and simultaneously adjusts the related command parameters to ensure they match, resolving the contradiction between compression efficiency and data consistency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If data inspection is performed on e-mail content, then security and harmful content detection are improved, but data transmission time increases due to inspection delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary inspection of e-mail data content before the data is fully transmitted to the client. The relay device inspects the compressed e-mail data during the transmission process itself, performing security checks on harmful content, attachments, and links in advance. This preliminary action allows security verification to occur before the complete data transfer is finalized, reducing overall transmission time while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous data transmission and inspection to occur simultaneously. The relay device transmits compressed e-mail data to the client while concurrently performing inspection operations on the data content. This continuity allows the useful actions of transmission and inspection to overlap in time, reducing the total time required compared to sequential processing.
3Quantity of substance
If e-mail data is compressed for transmission, then network bandwidth usage is reduced, but configuration information consistency deteriorates among IMAP commands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the relay device continuously monitors and adjusts IMAP command parameters based on the compression state of e-mail data. When e-mail data is compressed, the relay device receives feedback about the compression status and accordingly adjusts related configuration information (such as UID FETCH parameters) to maintain consistency. This feedback loop ensures that configuration information remains synchronized with the actual data state.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device serves as an intermediary that manages the consistency of configuration information across compressed e-mail data and IMAP commands. It mediates between the compression operations and the IMAP protocol requirements, ensuring that parameters like UID FETCH remain consistent with the actual compressed data state, thereby maintaining configuration stability despite compression.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a request acquiring unit that acquires a data request message transmitted from a client to a server; a configuration information acquiring unit that acquires, from the server configuration information relating to a data set including a request target data; a response acquiring unit that acquires, in place of the client, a response message transmitted from the server and including data and configuration information relating to the data; a configuration information changing unit that changes the configuration information, with consistency therebetween being maintained; a data changing unit that changes the data so as to match the configuration information relating to the data after the change; and a data transmitting unit that transmits, to the client, a response message including the data after the change and the configuration information after the change, as a response to the data request message.