User and Asset Grouping for Non-Hierarchical Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional SaaS data models are inadequate for computer environments that do not follow a single hierarchy, preventing the replication of SaaS behavior and efficient organization of assets such as user roles, permissions, and licensing.
Innovation Solution
A system that manages access to assets in a computer environment based on user and asset grouping, utilizing an environment state component, asset group component, and user group component to facilitate interaction and define access characteristics, enabling users to interact with assets through user interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional SaaS container-or folder-based data model is used to organize assets in a single hierarchy, then access control and functionality organization are simplified, but the system cannot replicate conventional SaaS behavior in environments with multiple hierarchies or no hierarchy
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is segmented into separate components: an environment state component that tracks hierarchical relationships, an asset group component that manages asset access rules, and a user group component that manages user access rules. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of access control independently, enabling the system to replicate SaaS behavior in non-hierarchical environments without overwhelming complexity
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary access control mechanism is introduced between users and assets. The environment state component acts as a mediator that determines whether an asset has a hierarchy, and the asset group and user group components work together to apply appropriate access rules. This intermediary layer enables flexible access control that adapts to different environmental structures
2Adaptability or versatility
If assets are allowed to belong to multiple hierarchies simultaneously, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but access control and organization become more difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The environment state component continuously tracks the hierarchical status of assets, and the asset group and user group components dynamically apply appropriate access rules based on the current environmental state. This dynamic approach allows the system to handle multiple hierarchies flexibly while maintaining ease of operation through automated access determination
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters based on environmental conditions. When an asset has a hierarchy, the system applies one set of access control parameters; when an asset does not have a hierarchy, the system applies different parameters. The environment state component monitors these conditions and triggers appropriate parameter changes in the access control logic, making management simpler despite the flexibility of multi-hierarchy support
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to manage access to assets of a computer environment based on user and asset grouping are described herein. Exemplary implementations may perform one or more of: manage asset groups associated with one or more assets of a computer environment; manage user groups associated with individual asset groups; assign users to user groups to cause access characteristics of associated assets to be granted to users; enable and/or disable individual access characteristics based on assigned ones of the user groups; and/or other operations.