Credentials management and usage in application modernization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12182250-B2
Application number	US-202117399088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2021
Priority date	May 25, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

Credentials management and usage in application modernization can be implemented as computer-readable methods, media and systems. A notification identifying an application modernization operation is received. The operation is to be performed on an application deployed by multiple resources arranged in multiple hierarchical levels. A resource residing at a hierarchical level of the multiple hierarchical levels is identified. The application modernization operation is to be performed on the identified resource which has a resource type. A search for a credential is performed. The credential grants access to the resource to enable performing the application modernization operation. In response to the searching, a credential included in the multiple credentials is identified. The identified credential grants access either to the resource or to resources of the resource type. In response to receiving the notification, the identified credential is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at credential management system and via an application programming interface (API), a notification identifying an application modernization operation to be performed on an application deployed by one of a plurality of resources arranged in a plurality of hierarchical levels;
identifying, by the credential management system, a resource on which the application modernization operation is to be performed, the resource having a resource type and residing at a hierarchical level of the plurality of hierarchical levels;
searching, by the credential management system and from among a plurality of credentials, for a credential that grants access to the resource to perform the application modernization operation, each of the plurality of credentials mapping to one of plurality of hierarchical levels;
determining, by the credential management system and in response to the searching, that no credential is specifically associated to the resource;
performing by the credential management system and in response to determining that no credential is specifically associated to the resource, additional searching for a credential that grants access to the resource to enable performing the application modernization operation but that is not specifically associated to the resource;
identifying, by the credential management system and in response to the additional searching, a credential included in the plurality of credentials, that grants access either to the resource or to resources of the resource type; and
providing, by the credential management system and in response to receiving the notification, the identified credential via the API.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises one of the following:
a virtual machine;
a container;
a cluster;
server management software; or
a collection object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing additional searching comprises:
searching for a hierarchical default credential associated to a hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides, wherein the hierarchical default credential grants access to all resources at the hierarchical level at which the resource resides.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, in response to searching for the hierarchical default credential:
determining that the hierarchical default credential is associated to the hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides; and
returning the hierarchical default credential.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing additional searching comprises: determining that no hierarchically default credential is associated to a hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides; and
in response determining that no hierarchically default credential is associated to a hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides, searching for a global default credential associated to a root level of the plurality of levels.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, in response to searching for the global default credential:
determining that the global default credential is associated to the root level; and
returning the global default credential associated to the root level.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
scanning, by an application modernization system, a data center;
identifying, based at least in part on the scanning, the application; and
notifying, by the application modernization system and via the API, the credential management system of the application modernization operation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is one of a plurality of similar resources, and wherein the identified credential provides access to each of the similar resources.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein
performing additional searching comprises:
determining that no specifically associated credential is associated to the resource; and
in response to determining that no specifically associated credential is associated to the resource, returning a global default credential associated to all resources having the same resource type as the resource.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to providing the identified credential:
receiving, by an application modernization system and via the API, the identified credential;
accessing, by the application modernization system, the resource using the received credential; and
performing, by the application modernization system, the application modernization operation on the accessed resource.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application modernization operation comprises containerizing an application.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a hardware-based processor, performs operations comprising:
receiving, at credential management system and via an application programming interface (API), a notification identifying an application modernization operation to be performed on an application deployed by one of a plurality of resources arranged in a plurality of hierarchical levels;
identifying, by the credential management system, a resource on which the application modernization operation is to be performed, the resource having a resource type and residing at a hierarchical level of the plurality of hierarchical levels;
searching, by the credential management system and from among a plurality of credentials, for a credential that grants access to the resource to perform the application modernization operation, each of the plurality of credentials mapping to one of plurality of hierarchical levels;
determining, by the credential management system and in response to the searching, that no credential is specifically associated to the resource;
performing by the credential management system and in response to determining that no credential is specifically associated to the resource, additional searching for a credential that grants access to the resource to enable performing the application modernization operation but that is not specifically associated to the resource;
identifying, by the credential management system and in response to the additional searching, a credential included in the plurality of credentials, that grants access either to the resource or to resources of the resource type; and
providing, by the credential management system and in response to receiving the notification, the identified credential via the API.

13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the resource comprises one of the following:
a virtual machine;
a container;
a cluster;
server management software; or
a collection object.

14. The medium of claim 12 , wherein performing additional searching comprises:
searching for a hierarchical default credential associated to a hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides, wherein the hierarchical default credential grants access to all resources at the hierarchical level at which the resource resides.

15. The medium of claim 14 , the operations further comprising, in response to searching for the hierarchical default credential:
determining that the hierarchical default credential is associated to the hierarchical level above the hierarchical level at which the resource resides; and
returning the hierarchical default credential.

16. The medium of claim 12 , wherein performing additional searching comprises:
determining that no hierarchically default credential is associated to a hierarchical level

Assignees

• VMware LLC

Inventors

• Sharma Avi
• Thanga Nadar Sri Narayanan
• Somapur Shivakumar
• Aletty Ashok
• Sharma Kshitiz
• Singh Gyanendra Pratap
• Lam William
• Sharma Ankita
• Kanna Ahil

Classifications

• G06F9/45558

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F2221/2113

  Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control · CPC title

• G06F2009/45587

  Isolation or security of virtual machine instances · CPC title

• G06F2221/2145

  Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy · CPC title

• G06F9/5077

  Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources (specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455) · CPC title