Methods and Systems for Interactive Evaluation Using Dynamically Generated, Interactive Resultant Sets of Policies

• US 20090327908A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Hayton, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,561,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• 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: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A method for interactive policy evaluation using dynamically generated, interactive resultant sets of policies includes the step of receiving, by a graphical user interface, at least one of: a description of a client requesting access to a resource, a description of the resource, and a description of a method of access requested by the client. The graphical user interface displays at least one policy applicable to the client request for access to the resource. The graphical user interface displays a decision made by applying the at least one policy to the received description.

Claims

1. A method for interactive policy evaluation using dynamically generated interactive resultant sets of policies, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, by a graphical user interface, at least one of;

i. a description of a client requesting access to a resource,

ii. a description of the resource, and

iii. a description of a method of access requested by the client;

(b) displaying, by the graphical user interface, at least one policy applicable to the at least one received description; and

(c) displaying, by the graphical user interface, a decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the client, a user identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the client, a client internet protocol (IP) address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the client, an identification of a virus-checking program on the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the client, a time of day.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the resource, an identifier of the resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the resource, an identification of a property of the resource.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the resource, a file type of the resource.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the resource, an identification of a server on which the resource resides.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the resource, an identification of an operating system executed by a server on which the resource resides.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises retrieving, from a database, a configuration file identifying a file type of the resource.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises retrieving, from a database, a configuration file identifying a server on which the resource resides.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises retrieving, from a database, a configuration file identifying an operating system executed by a server on which the resource resides.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises retrieving, from a database, a configuration file storing the description of the client.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the requested method of access, a description of a request to retrieve the resource.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the requested method of access, a description of a request to remotely access the resource.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the requested method of access, a description of a presentation layer protocol.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, by the graphical user interface, in the description of the requested method of access, a description of a type of client agent.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a graphical user interface element displaying the at least one policy applicable to the at least one received description.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving a request for information associated with the at least one policy.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying at least one filter associated with the at least one policy.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving a modification to the at least one filter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a decision identified by the modified filter.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of determining, responsive to the modification, not to apply the applicable at least one policy to the received description.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of determining, responsive to the modification, to apply at least one inapplicable policy to the received description.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a modification to the at least one policy.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a decision identified by the modified policy.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of determining, responsive to the modification, not to apply the applicable at least one policy to the received description.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of determining, responsive to the modification, to apply at least one inapplicable policy to the received description.

30. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a modification of the description of the user.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a decision identified by an application of the at least one policy to the modified user.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a modification of the description of the requested resource.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a decision identified by an application of the at least one policy to the modified resource.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying a resultant set associated with the application of the at least one policy to the received description.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, an access control decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a load balancing decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, a caching decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, by the graphical user interface, an auditing decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

39. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of simulating, by a policy simulation engine, an application of the at least one policy to the received description.

40. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting, by a policy simulation engine, to the graphical user interface, the access control decision.

41. A system for interactive policy evaluation using dynamically generated interactive resultant sets of policies, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface receiving, at least one of;

i. a description of a client requesting access to a resource,

ii. a description of the resource, and

iii. a description of a method of access requested by the client;

an interactive element in the graphical user interface displaying at least one policy applicable to the at least one received description; and

a second element in the graphical user interface displaying a decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a text box element displaying the received description of the client requesting access to the resource.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a text box element displaying the received description of the resource.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a text box element displaying the received description of the method of access requested by the client.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a user interface element for entering the description of the client.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the user interface element further comprises one of a text box, a drop-down menu, and graphical depiction of a directory structure.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a user interface element for entering the description of the resource.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the user interface element further comprises one of a text box, an element enumerating available resources, an element enumerating Uniform Resource Locaters associated with available resources, a drop-down menu, and graphical depiction of a directory structure.

49. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a user interface element for entering the description of the method of access.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the user interface element further comprises one of a text box, an element enumerating available methods of access, and a drop-down menu.

51. The system of claim 41, wherein the interactive element displays at least one policy applicable to the client request responsive to the received description.

52. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a text box element receiving, from a user of the graphical user interface, the description.

53. The system of claim 41, wherein the second element displays a second decision made by applying a second policy to a second received description.

54. The system of claim 41 further comprising a policy simulation engine simulating an application of the at least one policy to the received description.

55. The system of claim 41, wherein the second element displays an access control decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

56. The system of claim 41, wherein the second element displays an auditing decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

57. The system of claim 41, wherein the second element displays a load balancing decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.

58. The system of claim 41, wherein the second element displays a caching decision made by applying the at least one policy to the at least one received description.