Functionality Management via Application Modification

• US 20130312057A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Skysocket LLC
• Inventors: Dabbiere, Alan, Stuntebeck, Erich
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• 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 a request to perform an action;

determining whether the action is associated with a metered resource;

in response to determining that the action is associated with the metered resource, determining whether the request complies with at least one management policy; and

in response to determining that the request complies with the at least one management policy, authorizing 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 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 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 whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether authorizing the action to be performed would consume at least a portion of the metered resource comprises:

identifying a plurality of functions associated with the action to be performed; and

computing an amount of the metered resource consumed by each of the plurality of functions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the request complies with the at least one management policy comprises determining whether the computed amount of the metered resource consumed by each of the plurality of functions exceeds a quota amount of the metered resource.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising dynamically identifying the quota amount of the metered resource.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising defining the quota amount of the metered resource according to the requested action.

10. A system comprising:

a memory storage; and

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

receive a request to perform an action,

determine whether the action is associated with a metered resource,

in response to determining that the action is associated with the metered resource, determine whether the request complies with at least one management policy, and

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

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor being configured to receive the request comprises the processor being configured to modify an application to redirect a plurality of requests to perform action to a second application.

12. The system of claim 10, 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.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the metered resource comprises a pre-purchased resource.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the metered resource comprises a periodically replenished resource.

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

receiving a request to perform an action;

determining whether the action is associated with a metered resource;

in response to determining that the action is associated with the metered resource, determining whether the request complies with at least one management policy; and

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

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising identifying a priority associated with the request.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one management policy comprises a plurality of conditions.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of conditions is associated with the identified priority.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

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.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.