Data Management for an Application with Multiple Operation Modes

• US 20140298402A1
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Lang, Zhongmin, Barton, Gary, Desai, Nitin, Walker, James Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/022,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298402A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications

Abstract

A method and system for managing an application with multiple modes are described. A device manager that manages a mobile device may monitor the mobile device. The device manager may detect that a first type of application that runs in a managed mode (or in multiple managed modes) and an unmanaged mode is installed on the mobile device. When the application is executed on the device, the application executes in accordance with the selected application mode, e.g., based on location, user, role, industry presence, or other predefined context.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

periodically monitoring a mobile device to determine that a new software application is installed on the mobile device;

detecting that the application is capable of running in both a first mode and a second mode associated with a same user, wherein the first mode is a managed mode operating under the control of one or more policy files separate from the application and usable to manage operations of multiple applications executing on the computing device; and

provisioning a resource to communicate with the application such that the resource is configured only to communicate with the application when the application is running in the first mode, and not to communicate with the application when the application is running in the second mode, wherein the provisioning comprises;

creating, responsive to initiating the provisioning, an account with the resource for the application, wherein the account is created automatically and without input from the user on whose behalf the account is created, and wherein the account is associated with user identification information received from the mobile device,

locating a managed account based on the identification information, wherein the managed account corresponds to the managed mode, and

linking the managed account to the created account.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a cloud storage resource that stores secure data.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein provisioning the resource comprises provisioning the cloud data storage resource to allow the application to access secure data stored in the cloud data storage resource while the application is running in the first mode.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is managed by a device manager, and wherein the device manager administers the one or more policy files.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mode is a second managed mode operating under the control of one or more policy files different from the policy files used for management of the first mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mode is associated with a first user role, and the second mode is associated with a second user role different from the first user role.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mode is associated with a first workplace environment type, and the second mode is associated with a second workplace environment type.

9. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the application is running in the first mode; and

allowing the application to access secure data based on the created account.

10. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the application running in the first mode, wherein the request comprises a request to access secure data; and

granting the application access to the secure data based on the created account.

11. A method of claim 1, wherein the application is distributed by an enterprise to the device.

5. (canceled)

12. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the device to;

periodically monitor a mobile device to determine that a new software application is installed on the mobile device;

detect that the application is capable of running in both a first mode and a second mode associated with a same user, wherein the first mode is a managed mode operating under the control of one or more policy files separate from the application and usable to manage operations of multiple applications executing on the computing device;

provision a resource to communicate with the application such that the resource is configured only to communicate with the application when the application is running in the first mode, and not to communicate with the application when the application is running in the second mode, wherein the provisioning comprises;

creating, responsive to initiating the provisioning, an account with the resource for the application, wherein the account is created automatically and without input from the user on whose behalf the account is created, and wherein the account is associated with user identification information received from the mobile device,

locating a managed account based on the identification information, wherein the managed account corresponds to the managed mode, and

linking the managed account to the created account.

13. A computing device of claim 12, wherein the resource comprises a cloud storage resource that stores secure data.

14. A computing device of claim 13, wherein provisioning the resource comprises provisioning the cloud data storage resource to allow the application to access secure data stored in the cloud data storage resource while the application is running in the first mode.

15. A computing device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is managed by a device manager, wherein the device manager administers the one or more policy files.

17. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the second mode is a second managed mode operating under the control of one or more policy files different from the policy files used in management of the first mode.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the first mode is associated with a first user role, and the second mode is associated with a second user role.

19. A computing device of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting that the application is running in the first mode; and

allowing the application to access secure data based on the created account.

16. (canceled)

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a data processing system, cause the system to perform:

periodically monitor a mobile device to determine that a new software application is installed on the mobile device;

detect that the application is capable of running in both a first mode and a second mode associated with a same user, wherein the first mode is a managed mode operating under the control of one or more policy files separate from the application and usable to manage operations of multiple applications executing on the computing device;

provision a resource to communicate with the application such that the resource is configured only to communicate with the application when the application is running in the first mode, and not to communicate with the application when the application is running in the second mode, wherein provisioning the resource comprises;

creating, responsive to initiating the provisioning, an account with the resource for the application, wherein the account is created automatically and without input from the user one whose behalf the account is created, and wherein the account is associated with user identification information from the mobile device,

locating a managed account based on the identification information, wherein the managed account corresponds to the managed mode, and

linking the managed account to the created account.