Speed Dial Command for Distributed Node Configuration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information handling systems lack efficient methods for configuring changes across nodes in a distributed computing group without prior group configuration and without relying on a one-to-many management console, which limits flexibility and security in managing distributed computing environments.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a secondary information handling system that uses a speed dial command to communicate securely between nodes using IPv4 subnet broadcast or IPv6 local network multicast, with two-factor encryption and validation processes to ensure only valid commands are executed, allowing for configuration changes such as power management, firmware updates, and device control without prior group configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a one-to-many management console is used for configuration changes, then centralized control and management are improved, but system complexity and operational overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecentralized controlVSAvoidmanagement console overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the management console from the system architecture, allowing nodes to perform self-configuration and peer-to-peer communication without requiring a centralized management console. This eliminates the overhead and complexity of maintaining a separate management infrastructure while preserving the ability to perform configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Nodes in the distributed system are enabled to perform their own configuration changes and validate commands independently. The system implements self-service mechanisms where nodes can receive, validate, and execute configuration commands from peers without requiring centralized authorization or management intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If prior group configuration is required for node communication, then security and authorization are improved, but setup time and initial configuration complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidsetup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary cryptographic key pair generation and certificate authority (CA) enrollment during node initialization. Each node pre-generates its own cryptographic keys and enrolls with a CA to receive a certificate, enabling secure communication from the moment the node joins the network without requiring time-consuming group configuration setup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments security configuration into individual node-level credentials rather than requiring group-level configuration. Each node independently holds its own cryptographic keys and certificates, allowing it to securely communicate with other nodes that have similarly segmented credentials, eliminating the need for centralized group configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If cryptographic validation and encryption are implemented, then command security and integrity are improved, but processing time and computational overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommand securityVSAvoidcommand execution speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial cryptographic validation by verifying only critical portions of commands using digital signatures and checksums, rather than encrypting or validating the entire command payload. This selective validation approach maintains security for essential command elements while minimizing computational overhead and preserving command execution speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Adaptability or versatility

If distributed peer-to-peer communication is enabled, then system flexibility and scalability are improved, but network traffic and collision potential increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem flexibilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic broadcast intervals where nodes transmit configuration commands and status information at scheduled time intervals rather than continuously. This periodic transmission pattern reduces network traffic and collision potential while maintaining the flexibility of distributed peer-to-peer communication, as nodes know when to expect transmissions and can buffer or skip periods as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10135840B2System and method for speed dialing information handling system configuration changes

Publication Date: 2018.11.20 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Methods and systems for receiving speed dial configuration changes may involve receiving a packet, determining whether the packet is associated with a valid command, determining whether a username in a header of the packet is a valid user, validating a signature using a public key, decrypting encrypted data using a first factor key, and executing the valid command associated with the decrypted data. The packet includes the header, encrypted data, and the signature, and is sent without a one-to-many management console and without prior group configuration. The validation of the signature may be based on the determination that the packet is associated with a valid command and that the username in the header of the packet is a valid user.