Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for generating custom system templates to define new system types. For a particular system type, the method defines at least a manifest file that specifies a set of properties of the particular system type. The method compresses the defined manifest file to create a custom system template package for the particular system type. The method uploads the custom system template package to an authorization service in order to instantiate a new system of the particular system type.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for evaluating a policy for authorizing an API (Application Programming Interface) call to an application. Based on a first set of parameters available before receiving the API call, the method evaluates only a portion of the policy to produce a partially evaluated policy. The method stores the partially evaluated policy in a cache. The method then receives an API call to authorize, and determines whether the API call should be authorized by fully evaluating the policy, using the partially evaluated policy retrieved from the cache first storage, and a second set of parameters associated with the API call. The method responds to the API call with a policy decision based on the fully evaluated authorization policy.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for authorizing application programming interface (API) calls on a host computer in a local cluster of computers. The method is performed in some embodiments by an API-authorizing agent executing on the host computer in the local computer cluster. From a remote cluster of computers, the method receives (1) a set of API-authorizing policies to evaluate in order to determine whether API calls to an application executing on the host computer are authorized, and (2) a set of parameters needed for evaluating the policies. With the remote cluster of computers, the method registers for notifications regarding updates to the set of parameters. The method then receives notifications, from the remote cluster, regarding an update to the set of parameters, and modifies the set of parameters based on the update.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining code-based policies. The method generates a policy-builder first view of a policy for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) by processing a syntax tree that is generated from a code second view of the policy. The method receives, through the policy-builder first view, a modification to a portion of the policy. To reflect the modification, the method updates a portion of the syntax tree that corresponds to the portion of the policy that is affected by the modification. Based on the updating of the syntax tree, the method updates the code second view by modifying a portion of the code second view that corresponds to the updated portion of the syntax tree.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a local controller on a set of host computers that reduce the volume of data that is communicated between the server set and the set of host computers. The local controller executing on a particular host computer, in some embodiments, receives a portion of the namespace including only the policies (e.g., opcode) that are relevant to API-authorization processing for the applications executing on the particular host computer provided by a local agent executing on the computer to authorize the API requests based on policies and parameters. The local controller analyzes the received policies (e.g., policy opcodes) and identifies the parameters (e.g. operands), or parameter types, needed for API-authorization processing (e.g., evaluating the policy opcode upon receiving a particular API request) by the local agent. In some embodiments, the local controller performs this analysis for each updated set of policies (e.g., policy opcodes).

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for defining, distributing and enforcing policies for authorizing API (Application Programming Interface) calls to applications executing on one or more sets of associated machines (e.g., virtual machines, containers, computers, etc.) in one or more datacenters. This system has a set of one or more servers that acts as a logically centralized resource for defining and storing policies and parameters for evaluating these policies. The server set in some embodiments also enforces these API-authorizing policies. Conjunctively, or alternatively, the server set in some embodiments distributes the defined policies and parameters to policy-enforcing local agents that execute near the applications that process the API calls.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of modifying and validating API requests received at an API server. At a mutating admission controller of the API server, the method intercepts an API request received at the API server. The method invokes a mutating webhook to query a policy agent that includes a set of policies for modifying API requests to determine whether the API request requires modifications. When the policy agent determines that the API request requires modifications based on an identified policy from the set of policies, the method performs the modifications and forwards the modified API request for validation by the API server. After the API server has validated the API request, the method intercepts the API request at a validating admission controller and invokes a validating webhook to query the policy agent to determine whether the API request is valid.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining code-based policies. The method generates a policy-builder first view of a policy for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) by processing a syntax tree that is generated from a code second view of the policy. The method receives, through the policy-builder first view, a modification to a portion of the policy. To reflect the modification, the method updates a portion of the syntax tree that corresponds to the portion of the policy that is affected by the modification. Based on the updating of the syntax tree, the method updates the code second view by modifying a portion of the code second view that corresponds to the updated portion of the syntax tree.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for authorizing application programming interface (API) calls on a host computer in a local cluster of computers. The method is performed in some embodiments by an API-authorizing agent executing on the host computer in the local computer cluster. From a remote cluster of computers, the method receives (1) a set of API-authorizing policies to evaluate in order to determine whether API calls to an application executing on the host computer are authorized, and (2) a set of parameters needed for evaluating the policies. With the remote cluster of computers, the method registers for notifications regarding updates to the set of parameters. The method then receives notifications, from the remote cluster, regarding an update to the set of parameters, and modifies the set of parameters based on the update.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining code-based policies. The method generates a policy-builder first view of a policy for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) by processing a syntax tree that is generated from a code second view of the policy. The method receives, through the policy-builder first view, a modification to a portion of the policy. To reflect the modification, the method updates a portion of the syntax tree that corresponds to the portion of the policy that is affected by the modification. Based on the updating of the syntax tree, the method updates the code second view by modifying a portion of the code second view that corresponds to the updated portion of the syntax tree.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for enforcing policies for authorizing API (Application Programming Interface) calls to an application operating on a host machine. The method receives a request to authenticate a client attempting to gain access to the application, and authenticates the client based on a first set of parameters associated with the request. Using a second set of parameters associated with the request, the method evaluates a set of one or more policies associated with a set of one or more API calls to the application. Based on the evaluated policies, the method defines a third set of one or more authentication field parameters that control the API calls that the client is authorized to make to the application. The method sends an authentication reply message with the defined third set of authentication field parameters in order to control the API calls that the client is authorized to make.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for distributing a set of parameters associated with policies for authorizing Application Programming Interface (API) calls to an application. For a previously stored hierarchical first document that comprises a first set of elements in a first hierarchical structure, the method receives a hierarchical update second document that comprises a second set of elements in a second hierarchical structure corresponding to the first hierarchical structure, wherein at least a subset of elements in the first and the second documents correspond to the set of parameters for evaluating API calls. The method receives a first set of hash values for elements of the first document that are not specified in the second document, and generates a second set of hash values for a set of elements specified in the second document. The method generates an overall hash for the second document by using the received first set of hash values and the generated second set of hash values.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for evaluating a policy for authorizing an API (Application Programming Interface) call to an application. Based on a first set of parameters available before receiving the API call, the method evaluates only a portion of the policy to produce a partially evaluated policy. The method stores the partially evaluated policy in a cache. The method then receives an API call to authorize, and determines whether the API call should be authorized by fully evaluating the policy, using the partially evaluated policy retrieved from the cache first storage, and a second set of parameters associated with the API call. The method responds to the API call with a policy decision based on the fully evaluated authorization policy.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for authorizing application programming interface (API) calls on a host computer in a local cluster of computers. The method is performed in some embodiments by an API-authorizing agent executing on the host computer in the local computer cluster. From a remote cluster of computers, the method receives (1) a set of API-authorizing policies to evaluate in order to determine whether API calls to an application executing on the host computer are authorized, and (2) a set of parameters needed for evaluating the policies. With the remote cluster of computers, the method registers for notifications regarding updates to the set of parameters. The method then receives notifications, from the remote cluster, regarding an update to the set of parameters, and modifies the set of parameters based on the update.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide API (Application Programming Interface) authorization platform that allows API-authorization policy stacks to be created and enforced. Policy stacks (called “stacks”) define API-authorization policies across different sets of managed resources in a workspace. A stack in some embodiments defines a uniform set of one or more API-authorization policies for multiple different sets of resources so that the set of policies do not have to be specified independently for each set of resources. By instituting common policies across multiple managed resource sets (also called managed systems), stacks can be used to guarantee uniform baseline policies for the workspace.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining code-based policies. The method generates a policy-builder first view of a policy for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) by processing a syntax tree that is generated from a code second view of the policy. The method receives, through the policy-builder first view, a modification to a portion of the policy. To reflect the modification, the method updates a portion of the syntax tree that corresponds to the portion of the policy that is affected by the modification. Based on the updating of the syntax tree, the method updates the code second view by modifying a portion of the code second view that corresponds to the updated portion of the syntax tree.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for defining, distributing and enforcing policies for authorizing API (Application Programming Interface) calls to applications executing on one or more sets of associated machines (e.g., virtual machines, containers, computers, etc.) in one or more datacenters. This system has a set of one or more servers that acts as a logically centralized resource for defining and storing policies and parameters for evaluating these policies. The server set in some embodiments also enforces these API-authorizing policies. Conjunctively, or alternatively, the server set in some embodiments distributes the defined policies and parameters to policy-enforcing local agents that execute near the applications that process the API calls. From an associated application, a local agent receives API-authorization requests to determine whether API calls received by the application are authorized.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for evaluating authorization policies that restrict access to API (Application Programming Interfaces) calls to an application executing on a host system. At the application, the method receives an API call to execute. The method directs a process virtual machine (VM) executing inside the application to make an authorization decision for the API call. The method executes the API call after receiving an authorization decision to allow the API call from the process VM executing inside the application.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining code-based policies. The method generates a policy-builder first view of a policy for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) by processing a syntax tree that is generated from a code second view of the policy. The method receives, through the policy-builder first view, a modification to a portion of the policy. To reflect the modification, the method updates a portion of the syntax tree that corresponds to the portion of the policy that is affected by the modification. Based on the updating of the syntax tree, the method updates the code second view by modifying a portion of the code second view that corresponds to the updated portion of the syntax tree.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a local controller on a set of host computers that reduce the volume of data that is communicated between the server set and the set of host computers. The local controller executing on a particular host computer, in some embodiments, receives a portion of the namespace including only the policies (e.g., opcode) that are relevant to API-authorization processing for the applications executing on the particular host computer provided by a local agent executing on the computer to authorize the API requests based on policies and parameters. The local controller analyzes the received policies (e.g., policy opcodes) and identifies the parameters (e.g. operands), or parameter types, needed for API-authorization processing (e.g., evaluating the policy opcode upon receiving a particular API request) by the local agent. In some embodiments, the local controller performs this analysis for each updated set of policies (e.g., policy opcodes).