Centralized Data Socket Descriptor Database for Application Instance Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

In large, scaled-out, distributed data centers, it is challenging to determine the health and security of individual application instances due to virtualization and dynamic resource allocation, making it difficult to manage and protect applications from breaches and data thefts, especially in environments handling sensitive data like PII, PCI, HIPAA, military, and government data.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that collect and store data socket descriptor databases from individual servers in a central database, using attributes like socket descriptors, IP addresses, and security signatures to identify and group application instances, providing application and data protection layers that monitor and secure communication flows without interfering with existing security appliances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If applications are scaled out across thousands of servers with virtualization, then processing capacity and flexibility are improved, but the ability to track and monitor individual application instances deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing capacityVSAvoidapplication instance tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces socket descriptor attributes as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the gap between scaled-out application instances and centralized monitoring. By capturing unique identifiers and communication patterns through socket descriptors at the network layer, the system enables indirect tracking of application instances without requiring direct instrumentation of each application, thus resolving the contradiction between scaling and trackability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously collecting socket descriptor attributes from application instances and updating the centralized application instance database. This feedback loop enables dynamic tracking and monitoring of application instances across the scaled-out infrastructure, allowing the system to maintain visibility despite the large number of distributed instances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If data socket descriptor databases are collected from all servers and stored centrally, then application monitoring capability is improved, but system complexity and data management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication monitoring capabilityVSAvoiddata management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential and unique attributes from socket descriptors (such as peer address, peer port, local address, local port, and file descriptor) rather than collecting entire socket descriptor databases. This extraction approach reduces data management complexity while maintaining sufficient monitoring capability by focusing on the minimal necessary information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by storing application instance-specific data in a centralized database with structured organization. Each application instance's socket descriptor attributes are stored with unique identifiers, allowing precise monitoring while maintaining data integrity and reducing overall system complexity through localized data structuring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If comprehensive data collection from all application instances is implemented, then security monitoring is improved, but performance overhead and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity monitoringVSAvoidperformance overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by collecting only specific socket descriptor attributes that are essential for security monitoring and application identification, rather than gathering all possible data from application instances. This selective collection approach maintains security monitoring effectiveness while reducing performance overhead and resource consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10193889B2Data socket descriptor attributes for application discovery in data centers

Publication Date: 2019.01.29 AVOCADO SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

In one embodiment, a system includes a processing circuit and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processing circuit. The logic is configured to cause the processing circuit to collect all data socket descriptor databases from individual servers operating in a data center, each data socket descriptor database storing attributes of a base socket and one or more data socket descriptors used by an application or application instance operating on an individual server. The logic is also configured to cause the processing circuit to store data from the data socket descriptor databases for all applications and application instances operating in the data center in a central data socket descriptor database, the central data socket descriptor database being configured to store attributes of all data socket descriptors used by all applications or application instances operating in the data center.