Reverse Tunnel for Secured Virtualization Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secured networked virtualization environments typically prevent external access due to firewalls and private IP addresses, making it difficult for external entities to service or provide support to the nodes within the cluster.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism is implemented that performs a leadership election among nodes to elect a leader node, assigns a cluster virtual IP address, and generates a reverse tunnel using a processor to allow external entities to communicate with the secured networked virtualization environment, streamlining external access while maintaining security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a firewall is provided to prevent external access into the cluster of nodes, then security within the cluster is maintained, but external entities cannot service or provide support to the cluster
Solution Approach 1:
A reverse tunnel is established through an external relay server to act as an intermediary between external support entities and the secured cluster. The tunnel allows external entities to communicate with internal nodes without breaching the firewall, as all traffic flows through the mediator relay server that the cluster controls
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing external entities to initiate connections into the cluster (traditional approach), the cluster initiates an outbound connection to the relay server and creates a reverse tunnel. This inversion of connection direction allows external access while maintaining the security posture that blocks inbound connections
2Reliability
If nodes within the cluster are provided private IP addresses, then external access is prevented, but internal communication is enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The relay server acts as an intermediary that translates between private IP addresses within the cluster and public IP addresses for external communication. External entities communicate with the relay server using public addresses, which then routes traffic through the reverse tunnel to the appropriate private IP addresses within the cluster
Solution Approach 2:
The solution adds a new communication dimension by establishing a reverse tunnel through an external relay server. This creates a separate communication path that operates alongside the private IP network, allowing external entities to reach internal nodes without changing the private addressing scheme or exposing it directly
3Ease of operation
If manual IP address changes or additional software updates are required for external access, then external entities can access the cluster, but operational efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reverse tunnel mechanism is automatically established and managed by the cluster nodes themselves without requiring manual configuration changes. The system self-configures the tunnel through the relay server, and leadership election automatically updates the tunnel endpoint when nodes are added or removed, eliminating the need for manual IP changes or software updates
Solution Approach 2:
The reverse tunnel endpoint dynamically changes based on which node is the current leader in the cluster. The leadership election mechanism automatically updates the tunnel configuration to point to the new leader node without requiring manual intervention, allowing the system to adapt to changing cluster conditions while maintaining external access
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing external access into a secured networked virtualization environment, includes performing a leadership election amongst nodes of the secured networked virtualization environment to elect a leader node, assigning a cluster virtual IP address to the leader node and generating a reverse tunnel, using a processor, by the leader node to allow for an external entity to communicate with the secured networked virtualization environment.