Validation Agent for Computing Device Configuration Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed systems, ensuring that computing devices have validated configurations before authorizing new configurations is challenging due to the complex interactions of hardware, firmware, and software components, which can lead to misconfigurations affecting system performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a validation agent on each computing device that identifies user resources, matches them to validated configurations stored in persistent storage, and authorizes new configurations only if they match the validated settings, thereby ensuring correct operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If configuration validation is performed before authorization, then system reliability is improved, but configuration time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores validated configurations in advance in a database before they are needed. When a configuration change is requested, the system simply checks whether the requested configuration exists in the pre-stored validated configurations, rather than performing complex validation analysis at the time of configuration. This preliminary preparation of validation data resolves the contradiction by making the validation process fast and simple while maintaining high reliability.
2Reliability
If configuration validation is performed before authorization, then system reliability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Validated configurations are pre-stored in a database during system setup or maintenance periods. When configuration authorization is needed, the system performs a simple lookup in the database rather than performing time-consuming validation analysis. This shifts the time investment to when it does not impact operational performance, resolving the contradiction between reliability and configuration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of validated configurations and stores them in a database for quick reference. Instead of re-validating configurations each time they are needed, the system uses pre-created copies of validated configuration data. This copying approach maintains reliability while dramatically reducing the time required for configuration authorization.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device includes user resources and a validation agent. The validation agent obtains a new configuration authentication request for the computing device. In response to obtaining the new configuration authentication request, the validation agent identifies the user resources of the computing device; matches an identifier of the computing device to a portion of validated configurations of multiple validated configurations; makes a determination that the identified user resources match at least one validated configuration of the portion of validated configurations of the multiple validated configurations; and authorizes a new configuration for the user resources in response to the determination.