Massively distributed processing system with modular client agent and associated method

• US 20030033543A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byteweavr, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: United Devices, Inc. (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Inventors: Anderson, David P., Hubbard, Edward A., Venkatramani, Krishnamurthy, Mandyam, Sriram S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A security architecture and an associated method are disclosed for providing secure transmissions within distributed processing systems. More particularly, a server system is coupled to a network that is configured to be coupled to a plurality of distributed devices. The server system utilizes a security measure that is partitioned and distributed to multiple distributed devices. The distributed device receiving electronic information reconstructs the security measure by obtaining the various partitioned portions from the multiple distributed devices. In addition, the security measure may be generation of a hash value for the electronic information to be transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of operating a server system within a distributed processing system to secure transmissions within the distributed processing system, comprising:

coupling a server system to a network, the network being configured to be coupled to a plurality of distributed devices;

generating a security measure for electronic information to be sent from the server system to at least one of the distributed devices;

partitioning the security measure into multiple distributable portions;

sending each of the multiple distributable portions to different distributed devices; and

providing information to the at least one distributed device to allow the partitioned security measure to be reconstructed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the security measure comprises generating a hash value for the electronic information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hash value is partitioned into N portions and distributed to N different distributed devices, including the distributed devices that are receiving the electronic information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the server system encrypts the hash value and sends the encrypted hash value to the receiving distributed devices so that the encrypted hash value may be decrypted and compared with the reconstructed hash value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the server system further provides a hash generation algorithm to the receiving distributed devices, the receiving distributed devices using the hash generation algorithm to compare with the reconstructed hash value and the decrypted hash value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending encrypted electronic information to at least one distributed device, the encrypted electronic information being a project workload.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the project workload comprises executable code.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the project workload comprises workload data.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the project workload is distributed by the server system based upon the capabilities of the distributed device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein public/private key pairs are utilized to provide encryption of the electronic information.

11. A method for operating a distributed device within a distributed processing system to secure transmissions within the distributed processing system, comprising:

coupling a distributed device to a network, the network being configured to be coupled to a plurality of distributed devices and to at least one server system;

receiving a portion of a security measure from the server system and identification information for locating other portions of the security measure;

obtaining the other portions of the security measure;

reconstructing the security measure; and

utilizing the reconstructed security measure to verify the security of electronic information received from the server system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the security measure is a hash value for the electronic information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving an encrypted hash value for the electronic information from the server systems, decrypting the encrypted hash value, and comparing the decrypted hash value to the reconstructed hash value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving the encrypted electronic information, decrypting the electronic information, generating a hash value for the electronic information, and utilizing the generated hash value to compare with the reconstructed hash value.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the distributed device stops operating with the distributed processing system if the security measure indicated a security failure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the distributed device notifies the server system of the security failure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the distributed device also notifies other distributed devices coupled to the network for which the distributed device has identification information.

18. A distributed processing system with security measures, comprising:

a server system coupled to a network, the network being configured to be coupled to a plurality of distributed devices;

a security subsystem within the server system having as an output at least one partitionable security measure for electronic information that is being provided to at least one distributed device, the partitionable security measure being distributed to multiple distributed devices and having to be reconstructed by at least one distributed device to confirm the security measure.

19. The distributed processing system of claim 18, wherein the security measure comprises generating a hash value for the electronic information.

20. The distributed processing system of claim 19, wherein the hash value is partitioned into N portions and distributed to N different distributed devices, including the distributed devices that are receiving the electronic information.

21. The distributed processing system of claim 20, wherein the server system encrypts the hash value and sends the encrypted hash value to the receiving distributed devices so that the encrypted hash value may be decrypted and compared with the reconstructed hash value.

22. The distributed processing system of claim 18, wherein the server system the electronic information comprises a project workload.

23. The distributed processing system of claim 22, wherein the project workload comprises executable code.

24. The distributed processing system of claim 22, wherein the project workload comprises workload data.

25. The distributed processing system of claim 22, wherein the project workload is distributed by the server system based upon the capabilities of the receiving distributed device.