Virtual Credential Adapter for VM Resource Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtualized computing environments, managing credentials for virtual machines (VMs) is challenging as existing solutions require credentials to be available during VM execution, limiting their accessibility and management outside of execution time.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a virtual credential adapter (VCA) within a hypervisor that maintains credentials independently of VMs, allowing association and disassociation with VMs as needed, enabling seamless access to computing resources and efficient credential management across multiple VMs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If credentials are managed by the virtual machine itself, then the virtual machine can access computing resources during execution, but the credentials are not available to other entities when the virtual machine is not executing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a credential manager as an intermediary component that sits between the virtual machine and the computing resources. This credential manager maintains credentials independently of the virtual machine's execution state, allowing credentials to be available to multiple virtual machines and other entities regardless of whether any specific virtual machine is running. The credential manager acts as a centralized repository that decouples credential storage from virtual machine lifecycle management.
2Productivity
If credentials are stored within each virtual machine, then each virtual machine has independent credential storage, but credentials cannot be shared or accessed by multiple virtual machines efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal credential manager that serves multiple virtual machines and different types of computing resources through a single centralized system. This credential manager can be accessed by any virtual machine on the host system, enabling efficient credential sharing without requiring duplicate credential storage in each virtual machine. The system supports multiple functions including credential storage, retrieval, and management across diverse virtual machine workloads.
3Reliability
If credentials are managed externally to the hypervisor, then credential management is simplified, but the hypervisor cannot enforce credential isolation between virtual machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the credential management system into distinct components: the credential manager that handles credential storage and retrieval, the hypervisor that enforces isolation policies, and the virtual machines that consume credentials. This segmentation allows the hypervisor to maintain control over credential isolation between virtual machines while the credential manager handles the complexity of credential operations. The modular architecture enables independent optimization of each component.
Data Source
AI summary
Managing credential for use with virtual machines includes storing a first virtual credential adapter within a hypervisor executing within a host data processing system. The first virtual credential adapter maintains a credential for a computing resource. Using a processor of the host data processing system, associating the first virtual credential adapter with a first virtual machine. The first virtual credential adapter is associated, at most, with a single virtual machine at any time. Responsive to associating the first virtual credential adapter with the first virtual machine, the first virtual machine accesses the computing resource using the credential maintained by the first virtual credential adapter.