Patent attributes
An Active Directory Bridge (AD Bridge) provides the ability to register, represent, and manage external network resources on an internal network. The external network resources may include cloud resources, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Software-as-a-Service applications (SaaS apps), cloud-hosted virtual machines (VMs), cloud-hosted computers, and other networked cloud resources. The external network resources may be unable to communicate directly with or join the internal network due to various network connection obstacles. The AD Bridge includes an AD Bridge Gateway, an AD Bridge Gatekeeper, and an AD Bridge Agent. The AD Bridge Agent resides on each external network resource, and provides the connection of the host external network resource through the AD Bridge Gatekeeper and through the AD Bridge Gateway to the internal network. The AD Bridge provides the ability to register, represent, and manage these external network resources on an internal network.
