Method and system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management

• US 9,319,415 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Lietz, M. Shannon, Cabrera, Luis Felipe, Price, Christian, Nikulshin, Michelle, Godinez, Javier, Philip, Sabu Kuruvila, Rambur, Brad A., Kennedy, Scott Cruickshanks, Naugle, Erik Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US14/266,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00

Abstract

Reference architecture pattern role data representing reference architecture pattern roles to be associated with entities taking part in the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of an application is generated. Reference architecture pattern tier data representing reference architecture pattern tiers used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate an application using the reference architecture pattern is generated. For each reference architecture pattern role at least one access and/or operational permission is associated with each reference architecture pattern tier. At least one entity is assigned one of the reference architecture pattern roles and for each reference architecture pattern tier, the at least one entity is automatically provided the at least one access and/or operational permission associated with the reference architecture pattern role assigned to the entity.

Claims

1. A method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management comprising:

identifying, using a first computing system configured to perform the method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management, one or more roles available to be associated with an individual taking part in the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of two or more computing system applications using a reference architecture pattern;

generating, using the first computing system, role data representing the identified roles;

identifying, using the first computing system, a plurality of reference tiers used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate a computing system application using the reference architecture pattern, wherein the plurality of identified reference tiers include at least two selected from a development tier, a pre-production tier, a production tier, a staging tier, an integration tier, a security tier, and an external tier;

generating, using the first computing system, reference tier data representing the identified reference tiers;

for each role represented by the role data, associating, using the first computing system, at least one permission with each reference tier represented in the reference tier data;

assigning, using the first computing system, to the individual one of the roles represented by the role data;

for a first one of the reference tiers associated with a first of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a first permission associated with the role assigned to the individual; and

for a second one of the reference tiers associated with a second of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a second permission associated with the role assigned to the individual, wherein the second permission is different from the first permission.

2. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 1 wherein at least part of at least one of the computing system applications are to be deployed in a cloud computing environment.

3. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 1 wherein at least one of the roles represented by the role data is selected from the group of roles consisting of:

a supervisory administrator (SuperAdmin) role;

an administrator (Admin) role;

a security role;

an operator role;

a developer role;

a third party role;

a user role; and

a read-only role.

4. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 1 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is selected from the group of reference tiers consisting of:

a development tier;

a pre-production tier;

a production tier;

a web tier;

a staging tier;

an integration tier; and

a security tier.

5. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 2 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by a cloud infrastructure provider.

6. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 5 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by the cloud infrastructure provider selected from the group of accounts consisting of:

a development account;

a performance evaluation account;

a security sandbox account;

a pre-production account;

a production account;

a staging account;

an integration account; and

a security account.

7. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 1 wherein at least one permission associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data.

8. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 7 wherein at least one set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions selected from the group of sets of two or more permissions consisting of:

a super broad permissions set;

a broad permissions set;

a moderate permissions set;

a narrow permissions set;

a forensic permissions set;

a broad forensic permissions set;

a moderate forensic permissions set;

a narrow forensic permissions set;

an administrator permissions set;

a broad administrator permissions set;

a moderate administrator permissions set;

a narrow administrator permissions set;

an integrator permissions set;

a broad integrator permissions set;

a moderate integrator permissions set;

a narrow integrator permissions set;

an end-user permissions set;

a broad end-user permissions set;

a moderate end-user permissions set;

a narrow end-user permissions set;

a read-only permissions set;

a broad read-only permissions set;

a moderate read-only permissions set; and

a narrow read-only permissions set.

9. A system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by any set of the one or more processors, perform a process for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management, the process for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management including;

identifying, using a first computing system configured to perform the method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management, one or more roles available to be associated with individuals taking part in the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of two or more computing system applications using a reference architecture pattern;

generating, using the first computing system, role data representing the identified roles;

identifying, using the first computing system, a plurality of reference tiers used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate a computing system application using the reference architecture pattern, wherein the plurality of identified reference tiers include at least two selected from a development tier, a pre-production tier, a production tier, a staging tier, an integration tier, a security tier, and an external tier;

generating, using the first computing system, reference tier data representing the identified reference tiers;

for each role represented by the role data, associating, using the first computing system, at least one permission with each reference tier represented in the reference tier data;

assigning, using the first computing system, to the individual, one of the roles represented by the role data;

for a first one of the reference tiers associated with a first of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a first permission associated with the role assigned to the individual; and

for a second one of the reference tiers associated with a second of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a second permission associated with the role assigned to the individual, wherein the second permission is different from the first permission.

10. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 9 wherein at least part of the two or more computing system applications are to be deployed in a cloud computing environment.

11. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 9 wherein at least one of the roles represented by the role data is selected from the group of roles consisting of:

a supervisory administrator (SuperAdmin) role;

an administrator (Admin) role;

a security role;

an operator role;

a developer role;

a third party role;

a user role; and

a read-only role.

12. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 9 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is selected from the group of reference tiers consisting of:

a development tier;

a web tier

a pre-production tier;

a production tier;

a staging tier;

an integration tier; and

a security tier.

13. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 10 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by an cloud infrastructure provider.

14. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 13 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by the cloud infrastructure provider selected from the group of accounts consisting of:

a development account;

a pre-production account;

a performance evaluation account;

a security sandbox account;

a production account;

a staging account;

an integration account; and

a security account.

15. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 9 wherein at least one permission associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data.

16. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 15 wherein at least one set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions selected from the group of sets of two or more permissions consisting of:

a super broad permissions set;

a broad permissions set;

a moderate permissions set;

a narrow permissions set;

a forensic permissions set;

a broad forensic permissions set;

a moderate forensic permissions set;

a narrow forensic permissions set;

an administrator permissions set;

a broad administrator permissions set;

a moderate administrator permissions set;

a narrow administrator permissions set;

an integrator permissions set;

a broad integrator permissions set;

a moderate integrator permissions set;

a narrow integrator permissions set;

an end-user permissions set;

a broad end-user permissions set;

a moderate end-user permissions set;

a narrow end-user permissions set;

a read-only permissions set;

a broad read-only permissions set;

a moderate read-only permissions set; and

a narrow read-only permissions set.

17. A system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management comprising:

an individual access system associated with an individual;

two or more computing system applications to be created, and/or deployed, and/or operated by the individual;

a reference architecture pattern associated with the computing system applications to be created, and/or deployed, and/or operated, the reference architecture pattern including;

role data representing one or more roles to be assigned to individuals taking part in the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of the computing system applications using the reference architecture pattern;

reference tier data representing reference tiers used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate the computing system applications using the reference architecture pattern; and

permissions data representing at least one permission assigned to each role represented by the role data for each reference tier represented in the reference tier data;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by any set of the one or more processors, perform a process for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management, the process for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management including;

assigning, using a first computing system, the individual one of the reference architecture pattern roles represented by the role data;

for a first one of the reference tiers associated with a first of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting, by the first computing system, the individual a first permission associated with the role assigned to the individual; and

for a second one of the reference tiers associated with a second of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting, by the first computing system, the individual a second permission associated with the role assigned to the individual, wherein the second permission is different from the first permission.

18. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 17 wherein at least part of the computing system applications are to be deployed in a cloud computing environment.

19. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 17 wherein at least one of the roles represented by the role data is selected from the group of roles consisting of:

a supervisory administrator (SuperAdmin) role;

an administrator (Admin) role;

a security role;

an operator role;

a developer role;

a third party role;

a user role; and

a read-only role.

20. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 17 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is selected from the group of reference tiers consisting of:

a development tier;

a pre-production tier;

a production tier;

a staging tier;

an integration tier; and

a security tier.

21. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 18 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by a cloud infrastructure provider.

22. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 21 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by the cloud infrastructure provider selected from the group of accounts consisting of:

a development account;

a pre-production account;

a performance evaluation account;

a security sandbox account;

a production account;

a staging account;

an integration account; and

a security account.

23. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 17 wherein at least one permission associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data.

24. The system for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 23 wherein at least one set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions selected from the group of sets of two or more permissions consisting of:

a super broad permissions set;

a broad permissions set;

a moderate permissions set;

a narrow permissions set;

a forensic permissions set;

a broad forensic permissions set;

a moderate forensic permissions set;

a narrow forensic permissions set;

an administrator permissions set;

a broad administrator permissions set;

a moderate administrator permissions set;

a narrow administrator permissions set;

an integrator permissions set;

a broad integrator permissions set;

a moderate integrator permissions set;

a narrow integrator permissions set;

an end-user permissions set;

a broad end-user permissions set;

a moderate end-user permissions set;

a narrow end-user permissions set;

a read-only permissions set;

a broad read-only permissions set;

a moderate read-only permissions set; and

a narrow read-only permissions set.

25. A method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management comprising:

defining one or more reference architecture patterns for the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of two or more computing system applications;

identifying, using a first computing system configured to perform the method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management, one or more roles to be associated with individuals taking part in the development, and/or deployment, and/or operation of the two or more computing system applications using a reference architecture pattern;

generating, by the first computing system, data representing the identified roles;

for each reference architecture pattern, identifying, by the first computing system, reference tiers used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate a computing system application using the reference architecture pattern, wherein the identified reference tiers include at least two selected from a development tier, a pre-production tier, a production tier, a staging tier, an integration tier, a security tier, and an external tier;

for each reference architecture pattern, generating, by the first computing system, reference tier data representing the identified reference tiers;

for each reference architecture pattern and for each role represented by the role data, associating, using the first computing system, at least one permission with each reference tier represented in the reference tier data;

assigning, using the first computing system, an individual one of the roles represented by the role data;

for a first one of the reference tiers associated with a first of the two or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a first permission associated with the role assigned to the individual; and

for a second one of the reference architecture pattern tiers associated with a first of the one or more computing system applications and represented in the reference tier data, automatically granting the individual a second permission associated with the role assigned to the individual, wherein the second permission is different from the first permission.

26. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 25 wherein at least part of the computing system application is to be deployed in a cloud computing environment.

27. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 25 wherein at least one of the roles represented by the role data is selected from the group of roles consisting of:

a supervisory administrator (SuperAdmin) role;

an administrator (Admin) role;

a security role;

an operator role;

a developer role;

a third party role;

a user role; and

a read-only role.

28. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 25 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is selected from the group of reference tiers consisting of:

a development tier;

a web tier;

a pre-production tier;

a production tier;

a staging tier;

an integration tier; and

a security tier.

29. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 26 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by an cloud infrastructure provider.

30. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 29 wherein at least one of the reference tiers represented by the reference tier data is an account provided by the cloud infrastructure provider selected from the group of accounts consisting of:

a development account;

a pre-production account;

a performance evaluation account;

a security sandbox account;

a production account;

a staging account;

an integration account; and

a security account.

31. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 25 wherein at least one permission associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data.

32. The method for providing reference architecture pattern-based permissions management of claim 31 wherein at least one set of two or more permissions associated with each tier represented in the reference tier data is a set of two or more permissions selected from the group of sets of two or more permissions consisting of:

a super broad permissions set;

a broad permissions set;

a moderate permissions set;

a narrow permissions set;

a forensic permissions set;

a broad forensic permissions set;

a moderate forensic permissions set;

a narrow forensic permissions set;

an administrator permissions set;

a broad administrator permissions set;

a moderate administrator permissions set;

a narrow administrator permissions set;

an integrator permissions set;

a broad integrator permissions set;

a moderate integrator permissions set;

a narrow integrator permissions set;

an end-user permissions set;

a broad end-user permissions set;

a moderate end-user permissions set;

a narrow end-user permissions set;

a read-only permissions set;

a broad read-only permissions set;

a moderate read-only permissions set; and

a narrow read-only permissions set.