Session Broker Extensible API for Third-Party Plugin Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote access systems, such as Terminal Services, face challenges in allowing users to access third-party applications, particularly plug-in applications, as independent software vendors do not provide the necessary routing behavior for user access.
Innovation Solution
A session broker server with an extensible API identifies and manages sessions for remote clients, enabling access to third-party plug-in applications by redirecting users to suitable servers and managing session changes, updates, and configuration changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the remote access system uses traditional session broker infrastructure, then system stability and control are maintained, but third-party plug-in applications cannot be accessed by remote clients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (session broker extension or plugin) that mediates between the traditional session broker infrastructure and third-party applications. This extension allows the session broker to recognize and route connections to external applications without fundamentally altering the core infrastructure, thus maintaining system stability while enabling new functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The session broker infrastructure is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to manage traditional remote access sessions while simultaneously supporting third-party plug-in applications through a unified interface. This multi-functionality allows a single system to serve both original and extended purposes without requiring separate infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If independent software vendors create third-party plug-in applications, then application functionality is expanded, but routing behavior for user access is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The session broker acts as an intermediary that handles the complex routing logic between users and third-party applications. Vendors can focus on creating applications while the session broker extension manages the routing behavior, automatically directing users to the appropriate applications based on session information and application availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service routing where the session broker extension automatically matches users with appropriate third-party applications based on predefined criteria and session context. This eliminates the need for manual routing configuration and allows the system to autonomously manage access to multiple applications.
3Reliability
If the session broker monitors all remote clients and servers, then session management is comprehensive, but system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function is segmented into modular components that can independently track specific aspects of session management. The session broker extension divides the comprehensive monitoring task into manageable units, each responsible for specific events or parameters, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive session management capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are techniques for providing an application program interface that leverages the terminal services session broker infrastructure to support third party plug-in applications. In a typical scenario, when a user requests for a connection to access third party plug-in applications, the application program interface may override the session broker logic and interacts with the session broker process to identify sessions or suitable servers to which the user can be connected. The user may access the third party plug-in applications through the identified sessions or suitable servers.