Functionality management via application modification

• US 9,112,749 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dabbiere, Alan, Stuntebeck, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/950,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/54 by adding security routines or objects to programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• 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 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and/or computer-readable media for providing device management via application modification may be provided. In some embodiments, a request to perform an action may be received. Upon determining that the action is associated with a metered resource, a further determination may be made as to whether the request complies with at least one management policy. In response to determining that the request complies with the at least one management policy, the requested action may be authorized and/or caused to be performed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, in a management server, one or more requests to perform an action;

modifying, in the management server, an application to redirect the one or more requests to perform the action to a second application;

determining, by the management server, whether the action is associated with a metered resource by determining whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource, wherein determining whether the action would consume at least a portion of the metered resource comprises identifying one or more functions associated with the action to be performed and computing an amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions;

in response to determining that the action is associated with the metered resource, determining, by the management server, whether the request complies with at least one management policy by determining whether the computed amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions exceeds a quota amount of the metered resource; and

in response to determining that the request complies with the at least one management policy, authorizing, by the management server, the action to be performed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metered resource comprises at least one of the following:

a data communication resource, a power resource, a financial resource, or a hardware resource.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the management server, an application programming interface (API) call operative to receive the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to perform the action comprises intercepting, by the management server, the request from an application by an agent application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the action is associated with a metered resource comprises determining, by the management server, whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining, by the management server, the quota amount of the metered resource according to the requested action.

7. A system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processor coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive one or more requests to perform an action,

modifying an application to redirect the one or more requests to perform the action to a second application,

determine whether the action is associated with a metered resource by determining whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource, wherein determining whether the action would consume at least a portion of the metered resource comprises identifying one or more functions associated with the action to be performed and computing an amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions

in response to a determination that the action is associated with the metered resource, determine whether the request complies with at least one management policy by determining whether the computed amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions exceeds a quota amount of the metered resource, and

in response to determining that the request complies with the at least one management policy, authorize the action to be performed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor being configured to determine whether the action is associated with a metered resource comprises the processor being configured to determine whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the metered resource comprises a pre-purchased resource.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the metered resource comprises a periodically replenished resource.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions that when executed performs a method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving one or more requests to perform an action;

modifying an application to redirect the one or more requests to perform the action to a second application;

determining whether the action is associated with a metered resource by determining whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource, wherein determining whether the action would consume at least a portion of the metered resource comprises identifying one or more functions associated with the action to be performed and computing an amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions;

in response to a determination that the action is associated with the metered resource, determine whether the request complies with at least one management policy by determining whether the computed amount of the metered resource consumed by at least one of the one or more functions exceeds a quota amount of the metered resource; and

in response to determining that the request complies with the at least one management policy, authorizing the action to be performed.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one management policy comprises one or more conditions.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a priority associated with the one or more requests, wherein at least one of the one or more conditions is associated with the identified priority.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a priority associated with the one or more requests;

in response to determining that the request does not comply with the at least one management policy, determining whether the priority exceeds a threshold value; and

in response to determining that the priority exceeds the threshold value, authorizing the action to be performed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to determining that the request does not comply with the at least one management policy, causing a notification to be displayed.