Methods and systems for providing authorized remote access to a computing environment provided by a virtual machine

• US 7,949,677 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• 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: Robinson, David Neil, Croft, Richard Jason, Mazzaferri, Richard James, Low, Anthony Edward, Pedersen, Bradley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson; Greta L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilcox; James J
• Application Number:
  US11/624,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/781
• 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 resources on desktop computing environments provided by virtual machines, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a policy engine, a first request for access to a resource from a user at a first client machine;

(b) directing, by the policy engine, a first collection agent to gather information about the first client machine;

(c) granting, by the policy engine, the first client machine a first level of access to the resource responsive to application of a policy to the information about the first client machine, the first level chosen from a plurality of levels of access;

(d) identifying, by a broker machine, a first desktop computing environment already associated with the user,

the first desktop computing environment

i) providing the resource according to the first granted level of access,

ii) being provided by a first virtual machine selected by the broker machine, and

iii) executing in an operating system provided by the first virtual machine,

the first virtual machine executing in a first execution machine selected by the broker machine, and

the first execution machine executing a hypervisor providing access to hardware resources required by the first virtual machine; and

(e) establishing, by the broker machine responsive to the first granted level of access, a connection between the first client machine and the first desktop computing environment;

(f) receiving, by the policy engine, a second request for access to the resource from the user at a second client machine;

(g) directing, by the policy engine, a second collection agent to gather information about the second client machine;

(h) granting, by the policy engine, the second client machine a second level of access to the resource responsive to application of a policy to the information about the second client machine, the second level chosen from the plurality of levels of access;

(i) identifying, by the broker machine, a second desktop computing environment already associated with the user,

the second desktop computing environment

i) providing the resource according to the second granted level of access,

ii) being provided by a second virtual machine selected by the broker machine, and

iii) executing in an operating system provided by the second virtual machine,

the second virtual machine executing in a second execution machine selected by the broker machine, and

the second execution machine executing a hypervisor providing access to hardware resources required by the second virtual machine; and

(j) establishing, by the broker machine responsive to the second granted level of access a connection between the second client machine and the second desktop computing environment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises receiving the first request for access to the resource over a network connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises directing the first collection agent to gather the information over a network connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises directing the first collection agent to gather information by executing at least one script on the client machine.

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

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (c) further comprises determining if the gathered information satisfies a condition by comparing the gathered information to at least one condition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) further comprises granting a first level of access by applying a policy to the condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying a first desktop computing environment providing the resource according to the first level of access granted to the first client machine and a second desktop computing environment providing the resource according to a second level of access not granted to the first client machine, the first and second desktop computing environments already associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying a first desktop computing environment providing the resource according to the first granted level of access and executing on a first execution machine and a second desktop computing environment providing the resource according to a second level of access not granted to the first client machine and executing on a second execution machine, the first and second desktop computing environments already associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises identifying a first desktop computing environment already associated with the user, the first desktop computing environment comprising a first application session and identifying a second desktop computing environment already associated with the user, the second desktop computing environment comprising a second application session.

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

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises establishing, by the broker machine, a connection between the first client machine and the first desktop computing environment subject to a rule.

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

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

15. A system for providing authorized remote access to resources on desktop computing environments provided by virtual machines, the system comprising:

a policy engine that

i) receives a first request for access to a resource from a user at a first client machine,

ii) directs a first collection agent to gather information,

iii) grants the first client machine a first level of access to the resource responsive to application of a policy to the information about the first client machine, the first level chosen from a plurality of levels of access, and

iv) requests an enumeration of desktop computing environments associated with a user of the first client machine, the request including the first granted level of access; and

a broker machine that

i) enumerates a first desktop computing environment associated with the client machine,

the first desktop computing environment

i) providing the resource according to the first granted level of access,

ii) being provided by a first virtual machine selected by the broker machine, and

iii) executing in an operating system provided by the first virtual machine,

the first virtual machine executing in a first execution machine selected by the broker machine, and

the first execution machine executing a hypervisor providing access to hardware resources required by the first virtual machine; and

ii) establishes a first connection between the first client machine and the first desktop computing environment providing the resource according to the first granted level of access;

wherein

the policy engine

i) receives a second request for access to a resource from a user at a second client machine,

ii) directs a second collection agent to gather information,

iii) grants the second client machine a second level of access to the resource responsive to application of a policy to the information about the second client machine, the second level chosen from a plurality of levels of access, and

iv) requests an enumeration of desktop computing environments associated with a user of the second client machine, the request including the second granted level of access; and

the broker machine

i) enumerates a second desktop computing environment associated with the client machine, the second desktop computing environment

i) providing the resource according to the second granted level of access,

ii) being provided by a second virtual machine selected by the broker machine, and

iii) executing in an operating system provided by the second virtual machine,

the second virtual machine executing in a second execution machine selected by the broker machine, and

the second execution machine executing a hypervisor providing access to hardware resources required by the second virtual machine; and

ii) establishes a second connection between the second client machine and the second desktop computing environment providing the resource according to the second granted level of access.

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

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

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

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the policy engine grants the first level of access based on applying a policy to the received information.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the broker machine disconnects the first client machine from the first desktop computing environment upon receipt of a disconnect signal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the broker machine updates a data record associated with the first desktop computing environment to indicate that the first client machine and the first desktop computing environment are disconnected.