Smart Round Robin HSM Scheduling for Engine Saturation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hardware security modules (HSMs) face inefficiencies in handling requests due to traditional round-robin and first-come-first-serve methods that do not consider domain or crypto-type, leading to potential request starvation and delays during heavy workloads.
Innovation Solution
A smart round-robin (SRR) system that employs a two-stage selection process, considering domain wait time and hardware engine saturation, prioritizing requests based on crypto-type and availability to prevent engine saturation and ensure balanced processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional round-robin or first-come-first-serve methods are used to handle HSM requests, then the system is simple to operate, but request processing efficiency deteriorates during heavy workloads due to engine saturation and request starvation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic request selection mechanism that adapts to current system state. The HSM monitor continuously tracks hardware engine saturation levels and modifies request routing decisions in real-time based on current engine availability, rather than using static round-robin or FCFS approaches. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by improving productivity through state-aware scheduling while maintaining operational simplicity through automated monitoring and decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the HSM monitor receives information about hardware engine saturation levels and uses this feedback to adjust request selection. The system monitors engine usage, detects saturation conditions, and feeds this information back into the request selection logic to prevent sending requests to saturated engines. This feedback loop improves processing efficiency by avoiding blocked requests while keeping the system simple through automated closed-loop control.
2Productivity
If the HSM prioritizes processing oldest requests first (FCFS), then request handling is straightforward, but requests may be starved when their required hardware engines are saturated, worsening overall processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the selection parameter from simple request age (FCFS) to a composite parameter considering both request age and hardware engine saturation status. The HSM selection logic evaluates multiple parameters including domain wait time, engine saturation levels, and request priority to dynamically determine which request to process next. This parameter transformation improves overall processing efficiency by preventing requests from being blocked by engine saturation while maintaining operational simplicity through automated multi-criteria evaluation.
3Productivity
If the HSM processes requests without considering hardware engine saturation, then the system is easy to implement, but engine saturation leads to request delays and reduced processing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the HSM monitor proactively identify hardware engine saturation conditions before they cause request blocking. The system continuously monitors engine usage levels and predicts potential saturation, allowing the request selection logic to preemptively route requests to available engines. This preliminary monitoring and prediction improves processing throughput by preventing delays before they occur while maintaining implementation simplicity through automated proactive management.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a computer program product, and a system are provided that handles host requests on a hardware security module (HSM). The method includes selecting a domain with a longest wait time with a host request for the HSM and selecting an oldest host request requested by the domain. The method also includes determining a hardware engine type required to process the oldest host request and determining a saturation level of the hardware engine type exceeds a saturation threshold. The method further includes selecting a second host request requested by the domain that uses a different hardware engine type based on the saturation level exceeding the saturation threshold and processing the second host request using the different hardware engine type of the HSM. The method further includes selecting unprocessed host requests of the domains to continuously provide efficient selection of those host requests to the HSM.