METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING AUTHORIZED REMOTE ACCESS TO A COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT PROVIDED BY A VIRTUAL MACHINE

• US 20070179955A1
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Bradley, LOW, Anthony, MAZZAFERRI, Richard, CROFT, Richard, Robinson, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1462 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the remote displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 : Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 : for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 : specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 : Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 : Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A method for providing authorized remote access to a computing environment provided by a virtual machine, includes the step of requesting, by a client machine, access to a resource. A collection agent gathers information about the client machine. A policy engine receives the gathered information. The policy engine makes an access control decision based on the received information. A computing environment already associated with the user is identified in response to the received information, the identified computing environment provided by a virtual machine. A broker server establishes, responsive to the access control decision, a connection between the client machine and the identified computing environment.

Claims

1. A method for providing authorized remote access to a computing environment provided by a virtual machine, the method comprising:

(a) requesting, by a client machine, access to a resource;

(b) gathering, by a collection agent, information about the client machine;

(c) receiving, by a policy engine, the gathered information;

(d) making, by a policy engine, an access control decision based on the received information;

(e) identifying a computing environment already associated with the user in response to the received information, the identified computing environment provided by a virtual machine; and

(f) establishing, by a broker server responsive to the access control decision, a connection between the client machine and the identified computing environment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises requesting the resource over a network connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises gathering the information over a network connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises gathering information by executing at least one script on the client machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises determining if the received information satisfies a condition.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining if the received information satisfies a condition by comparing the received information to at least one condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (d) further comprises making an access control decision by applying a policy to the condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises identifying, in response to the received information, a first computing environment and a second computing environment, the first and second computing environments already associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises identifying, in response to the received information, a first computing environment executing on a first server and a second computing environment executing on a second server, the first and second computing environments already associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises identifying, in response to the received information, a computing environment already associated with the user, the identified computing environment comprising a first application session and identifying, in response to the received information, a second computing environment, already associated with the user and comprising a second application session.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first application session executes on a first server and the second application session executes on a second server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) establishing, by a broker server, a connection between the client machine and the identified computing environment subject to a rule.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of disconnecting, by the broker server, the client machine from the identified computing environment in response to receiving a disconnect signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating, by the broker server, at least one data record associated with the identified computing environment indicating that the client machine and the identified computing environment are disconnected.

15. A system for providing authorized remote access to a computing environment provided by a virtual machine, the system comprising:

a collection agent gathering information about a client machine;

a policy engine receiving the gathered information, making an access control decision based on the received information, and requesting an enumeration of computing environments associated with a user of the client machine, the request including the access control decision; and

a broker server enumerating a computing environment associated with the client machine responsive to the access control decision, the enumerated computing environment provided by a virtual machine.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the collection agent executes on the client machine.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the policy engine transmits the collection agent to the client machine.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the policy engine transmits instructions to the collection agent determining the type of information the collection agent gathers.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the policy engine makes an access control decision based on applying a policy to the gathered information.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the broker server enumerates a first computing environment and a second computing environment, the first and second computing environments already associated with the user.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the broker server enumerates a first computing environment executing on a first server and a second computing environment executing on a second server, the first and second computing environments already associated with the user.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the broker server further comprises enumerating an identified computing environment already associated with the user, the identified computing environment comprising a first application session, and enumerating a second computing environment already associated with the user and comprising a second application session.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first application session executes on a first server and the second application session executes on a second server.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the broker server disconnects the client machine from the identified computing environment upon receipt of a disconnect signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the broker server updates a data record associated with the identified computing environment to indicate that the client machine and the identified computing environment are disconnected.