API gateway for network policy and configuration management with public cloud

• US 10,148,493 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Inventors: Ennis, Jr., James D., Bhatt, Mehul Jayantilal, Voss, John Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/073,523
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709217, 709226, 709228, 709244, 709246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques for providing an API gateway for network policy and configuration management with public cloud are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system, process, and/or computer program product for an API gateway for network policy and configuration management with public cloud includes receiving a native or extended public cloud application programming interface (API) request at the API gateway; processing the public cloud API request; extracting data from the request for use in other API calls; and, in some cases, translating the public cloud API request into a native public cloud API request with or without adding parameters or properties to and/or substituting new values for parameters in the public cloud API request (e.g., in some cases modifying the public cloud API request can include inserting additional parameters/properties, such as instance IP address that was not present in the initial API request); and sending the native public cloud API request to the public cloud environment.

Claims

1. A system for an API gateway for network policy and configuration management with a public cloud environment, comprising:

a processor of the API gateway configured to;

receive a public cloud application programming interface (API) request at the API gateway, wherein the public cloud API request is a native public cloud API request or an extended public cloud API request;

process the public cloud API request and translate the public cloud API request into a native public cloud API request that includes added parameters or properties and/or a substitution of parameters in the original public cloud API request with different parameter values, comprising to;

intercept the public cloud API request at the API gateway, wherein the API gateway inspects, processes, and modifies the public cloud API request to generate the native public cloud API request, wherein the intercepting of the public cloud API request comprises to;

remove a first parameter from the original public cloud API request, comprising to;

 

identify a predetermined prefix relating to the first parameter, the predetermined prefix indicating that the original public cloud API request is the extended public cloud API request; and

 

remove the predetermined prefix; and

add a second parameter or a property and/or substitute a third parameter in the original public cloud API request to obtain the native public cloud API request; and

send the native public cloud API request to the public cloud environment; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the API gateway is implemented on an appliance.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the API gateway is implemented on an appliance, and wherein the appliance includes an IP address and/or DNS record management appliance.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the API gateway is implemented on a cloud platform appliance, and wherein the cloud platform appliance includes a virtual IP address and/or DNS record management appliance.

5. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the API gateway is implemented on a cloud platform appliance, and wherein the cloud platform appliance is configured as a primary cloud platform appliance for receiving cloud requests from a global cloud manager.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the public cloud API request is related to a resource in the public cloud environment, and wherein the resource in the public cloud environment is associated with a virtual resource.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the public cloud API request is related to a resource in the public cloud environment, and wherein the resource in the public cloud environment is associated with a physical resource.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the public cloud API request includes metadata that is not supported by the native API(s) for the public cloud environment.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the public cloud API request indicates whether a resource is a newly added resource in the public cloud environment, a deleted resource in the public cloud environment, or a modified resource in the public cloud environment.

10. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

trigger a workflow to extend capabilities of the native public cloud API request based on the intercepted public cloud API request.

11. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the API gateway and an API client communicate using a secure protocol.

12. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

authenticate the public cloud API request.

13. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

authorize the public cloud API request.

14. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

validate the public cloud API request.

15. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

communicate with a grid master or a cloud member that is authoritative for an object associated with the public cloud API request.

16. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform virtual discovery of the public cloud environment using a native API of the public cloud environment.

17. A method of an API gateway for network policy and configuration management with a public cloud environment, comprising:

receiving a public cloud application programming interface (API) request at the API gateway, wherein the public cloud API request is a native public cloud API request or an extended public cloud API request;

processing the public cloud API request and translating the public cloud API request into a native public cloud API request that includes added parameters or properties and/or substitutes parameters in the original public cloud API request with new values, comprising;

intercepting the public cloud API request at the API gateway, wherein the API gateway inspects, processes, and modifies the public cloud API request to generate the native public cloud API request, wherein the intercepting of the public cloud API request comprises;

removing a first parameter from the original public cloud API request, comprising;

identifying a predetermined prefix relating to the first parameter, the predetermined prefix indicating that the original public cloud API request is the extended public cloud API request; and

removing the predetermined prefix; and

adding a second parameter or a property and/or substituting a third parameter in the original public cloud API request to obtain the native public cloud API request; and

sending the native public cloud API request to the public cloud environment.

18. A computer program product for an API gateway for network policy and configuration management with a public cloud environment, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a public cloud application programming interface (API) request at the API gateway, wherein the public cloud API request is a native public cloud API request or an extended public cloud API request;

processing the public cloud API request and translating the public cloud API request into a native public cloud API request that includes added parameters or properties and/or substitutes parameters in the original public cloud API request with new values, comprising;

intercepting the public cloud API request at the API gateway, wherein the API gateway inspects, processes, and modifies the public cloud API request to generate the native public cloud API request, wherein the intercepting of the public cloud API request comprises;

removing a first parameter from the original public cloud API request, comprising;

identifying a predetermined prefix relating to the first parameter, the predetermined prefix indicating that the original public cloud API request is the extended public cloud API request; and

removing the predetermined prefix; and

adding a second parameter or a property and/or substituting a third parameter in the original public cloud API request to obtain the native public cloud API request; and

sending the native public cloud API request to the public cloud environment.