Secrets Topology Migration for Local Secret Retrieval Continuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Migrating secrets from cloud-based secret manager instances to local instances while preserving the original topology is challenging, leading to disruptions in user devices' ability to retrieve secrets due to changes in storage and routing rules.

Innovation Solution

A system that migrates secrets from cloud-based to local secret managers while maintaining the geographical organization by associating each secret with its original location, updating routing rules, and deleting cloud-based instances, using a geographical location lookup table to manage the migration process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If secrets are migrated from cloud-based secret manager instances to local secret manager instances, then security is enhanced and dependence on external entities is reduced, but the organizational structure and routing rules may be disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidrouting rules

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a local copy of the cloud-based secret manager instances, replicating the organizational structure and topology. This copying approach allows secrets to be stored locally for enhanced security while maintaining the same hierarchical organization and routing rules, thus avoiding disruption to operational workflows

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by first discovering and analyzing the cloud-based secret manager topology, including organizational units, secrets, and routing rules, before executing the migration. This preliminary analysis enables the system to reconstruct the same topology structure locally, ensuring that routing rules remain consistent after migration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of energy

If cloud-based secret manager instances are deleted after migration, then data storage fees are saved and security is improved, but user devices may be unable to locate needed secrets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage feesVSAvoidsecret retrieval

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a topology discovery and mapping system that acts as an intermediary between user devices and the local secret manager. This intermediary component translates routing rule references from the cloud-based structure to the local structure, ensuring that secret retrieval operations continue to work correctly even after cloud instances are deleted

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary topology discovery and mapping before deletion of cloud instances. By pre-establishing the relationship between routing rules and local secret locations, the system ensures that secret retrieval functionality is preserved after the cloud-based instances are removed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12556513B2Secrets management topology migrator

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 RED HAT INC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for migrating secrets from cloud-based secret manager instances to local secret manager instances while preserving an original topology of the cloud-based secret manager instances are provided herein. An example system includes a computer-readable memory containing a local secret manager. The example system also includes a processing device configured to obtain an initial secret management topology from one or more cloud-based secret manager instances, associate each cloud-based secret manager instance with respective geographical locations, and migrate secrets from each respective cloud-based secret manager instance into the local secret manager, organized by the geographical locations, in a final secret management topology that mimics the initial secret management topology.