Methods and systems for user identity management in cloud-based networks

• US 7,886,038 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferris, James Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Application Number:
  US12/127,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-235, 726 26- 28
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

An identity management system can reside within the cloud computing environment. The identity management system can be linked to systems, such as virtual machines, applications, and/or appliances, both inside and outside the cloud computing environment to provide identity management to those systems. In order to provide identity management, the identity management system can be configured to link to the systems in order to receive, store, maintain, and provide identity information. The information can identify items (users, devices, products, services) associated with the systems. The identity management system can be configured to store and maintain the information in records. The identity management system can also be configured to charge owners and operators of the systems for the identity management.

Claims

1. A method of managing identity in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

receiving a request to instantiate identity management services in the cloud computing environment from an operator of a set of managed machines;

instantiating the identity management services in the cloud computing environment for the set of managed machines;

receiving identity information from at least one system linked to the identity management services; and

storing the identity information from the at least one system in the identity management services in the cloud computing environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one virtual machine instantiated in the cloud computing environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one system running external to the cloud computing environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to provide the identity information stored in the identity management services, the request including an identifier of at least one managed system;

retrieving the requested identity information based on the identifier; and

providing the requested identity information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a charge associated with the identity management service; and

providing the determined charge to the at least one system or an owner of the at least one system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determined charge is based on at least one of an amount of identity information received, a number of the at least one system, a duration of the identity management service, or a flat charge associated with the identity management service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity information comprises at least one of user identity information or data associated with the at least one system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate at least one virtual machine.

9. A system for managing identity and located in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

a network interface to at least one system; and

a processor configured to execute an identity management module, communicating with the network interface, the identity management module being configured to—

receive a request to instantiate identity management services in the cloud computing environment from an operator of a set of managed machines;

instantiate the identity management services in the cloud computing environment for the set of managed machines;

receive identity information from at least one system linked to the identity management services; and

store the identity information from the at least one system in the identity management services.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one virtual machine instantiated in the cloud computing environment.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one of a system running external to the cloud computing environment.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the identity management module is further configured to—

receive a request to provide the identity information stored in the identity management services, the request including an identifier of at least one system;

retrieve the requested identity information based on the identifier; and

provide the requested identity information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the identity management module is further configured to—

determine a charge associated with the identity management service; and

provide the determined charge to the at least one system or an owner of the at least one system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the determined charge is based on at least one of an amount of identity information received, a number of the at least one system, a duration of the identity management service, or a flat charge associated with the identity management service.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the identity information comprises at least one of user identity information or data associated with the at least one system.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the at least one virtual machine.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium storing a module for managing identity and located in a cloud computing environment, the module configured to cause a computer to perform the method comprising:

receiving a request to identity management services in the cloud computing environment from an operator of a set of managed machines;

instantiate the identity management services in the cloud computing environment for the set of managed machines;

receiving identity information from at least one system linked to the identity management services; and

storing the identity information from the at least one system in the identity management services.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one virtual machine instantiated in the cloud computing environment.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one system comprises at least one of a system running external to the cloud computing environment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

receiving a request to provide the identity information stored in the identity management services, the request including an identifier of at least one system;

retrieving the requested identity information based on the identifier; and

providing the requested identity information.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining a charge associated with the identity management service; and

providing the determined charge to the at least one system.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the determined charge is based on at least one of an amount of identity information received, a number of the at least one system, a duration of the identity management service, or a flat charge associated with the identity management service.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the identity information comprises at least one of user identity information or data associated with the at least one system.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the at least one virtual machine.