Shared Service Runner for Secure Cross-Workspace Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face resource inefficiencies and increased security risks due to multiple service runners being deployed within an infrastructure, leading to resource exhaustion and heightened cyber-attack vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a shared service runner model where one workspace can utilize the service runner of another, with access control mechanisms ensuring that only authorized workspaces execute automation tasks, reducing the need for redundant installations and minimizing security threats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple service runners are deployed within an infrastructure, then each workspace can execute automation tasks independently, but resource exhaustion and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single service runner is designed to serve multiple workspaces by implementing a subscription model where the runner can subscribe to different workspaces and execute automation tasks from any subscribed workspace. This universal design eliminates the need for separate service runners for each workspace while maintaining functional independence through logical separation via subscriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The event management bus serves as an intermediary between service runners and workspaces. Runners subscribe to workspaces through the event management bus, which manages the subscription relationships and routes tasks appropriately. This intermediary layer enables flexible workspace independence while centralizing security management and resource control.
2Productivity
If multiple service runners are deployed within an infrastructure, then automation tasks can be executed concurrently across workspaces, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple service runner instances are merged into a single shared runner that handles tasks from multiple workspaces. The runner maintains concurrent execution capability by managing multiple subscriptions and task queues, but uses a single set of underlying resources (processes, memory, connections) to serve all workspaces, thereby reducing total resource consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared service runner is designed as a universal executor that can dynamically handle tasks from any subscribed workspace. It implements resource pooling and dynamic allocation, allowing concurrent task execution across workspaces while efficiently utilizing a single instance's resources rather than duplicating resources for each workspace.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple service runners are deployed within an infrastructure, then each workspace has dedicated execution capability, but attack surfaces increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single service runner implements universal workspace support through subscriptions, eliminating the need for multiple isolated runner instances. The runner maintains logical workspace separation through the subscription model while physically consolidating execution, thereby reducing the number of attack surfaces (fewer instances to compromise) while preserving workspace isolation through subscription-based access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The event management bus acts as a secure intermediary that manages subscription relationships between runners and workspaces. It implements authentication and authorization mechanisms, allowing the runner to subscribe to workspaces securely. This centralized mediation reduces attack surfaces by providing a single security boundary at the bus level rather than multiple boundaries at each runner level.
Data Source
AI summary
A service runner is deployed to a utility node within an infrastructure. The service runner is created in an event management bus (EMB) within a first workspace that includes a first automation task. The utility node is configured to communicate with the EMB. A second workspace is granted access to the service runner. The second workspace includes a second automation task and the access enables execution of the second automation task. A request associated with a workspace to execute an automation task on a target node is received. In responsive to a first determination that includes that the automation task and the workspace are the first automation task and the first workspace or a second determination that includes that the automation task and the workspace are the second automation task and the second workspace, the service runner is configured to execute the automation task.