Hardware trust boundaries and graphs in a data confidence fabric

#Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to computing systems such as data confidence fabrics and other ecosystems configured to associate data or data streams with confidence information. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to systems, hardware, software, computer-readable media, and methods for providing hardware trust boundaries and graphs in data confidence fabrics.

#Computing and other electronic devices come in a variety of types and form factors and have varying capabilities. Many of these devices generate data that may be used by various applications. There is often a question, however, about the value of the data. In other words, applications prefer to use data in which there is high confidence. Applications that run using data associated with high confidence levels typically generate more reliable results and outputs.

#A data confidence fabric (DCF) is generally descriptive of systems that are able to add trust or confidence scores to data as the data flows within the DCF. However, there many issues related to the ability of the DCF to accurately and reliably add confidence scores to the ingested data. Conventionally, the DCF was typically defined by software. However, software does not account for the hardware upon which the DCF software executes.

#In order to describe the manner in which at least some of the advantages and features of the invention may be obtained, a more particular description of embodiments of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, embodiments of the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a data confidence fabric that includes hardware-assisted trust insertion technologies in confidence scores;

#FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a data confidence fabric and illustrates perimeter nodes, internal nodes, and potential node configurations including hardware assisted or based trust insertion technologies;

#Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to computing systems or ecosystems such as data confidence fabrics (DCFs). In one example, a DCF is a system of hardware (computers, servers, routers, network interface cards, storage including immutable storage and/or other hardware) that is provisioned (e.g., with software, services) to score or rank data that may be ingested into the DCF. The data ingested into the DCF can be made available to applications, which may also be part of the DCF. The applications can leverage the confidence scores of the data when operating.

#In one example, a DCF is generally configured to add confidence information to data. Embodiments of the invention allow confidence scores to be added from a hardware perspective and/or a software perspective. Embodiments of the invention relate to DCF configurations with defined hardware boundaries, trusted and auditable node connectivity and trusted and auditable interactions with foreign or unknown DCFs.

#A data confidence fabric, by way of example only, may be an architecture and set of services that allow data to be ingested into a system for use by applications. The DCF adds or provides trust information or scores to the data as the data flows through the DCF. The ingested data is associated with a trust or confidence score that provides a view into the trustworthiness of the data to an application or other use. Embodiments of the invention relate to the hardware aspect of DCFs and the ability of hardware to contribute to confidence scores of the data being ingested and provided to applications.