Automated Deployment Service for Software Fleet Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deploying software to a large fleet of network hosts is complex and time-consuming, often impacting application performance, even for skilled system administrators, due to the need for manual tasks and coordination across multiple software components.
Innovation Solution
A deployment service that automates software deployment across hosts, allowing users to define deployment configurations, schedules, and failure conditions, with features like rolling deployments, in-place deployments, and rollback mechanisms, utilizing a centralized service that coordinates deployments and manages lifecycle events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual deployment processes are used to deploy software to hosts in a fleet, then system administrators can control the deployment process, but the deployment becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring deployment packages with all necessary software components, dependencies, and installation scripts before deployment. The deployment manifest is prepared in advance, specifying exact installation parameters, enabling the automated deployment service to execute deployments rapidly without manual configuration during the deployment process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated deployment service as an intermediary between system administrators and the deployment process. This service receives deployment requests, manages the deployment packages, coordinates installation across multiple hosts, and handles error recovery, thereby eliminating the need for manual administrator intervention at each deployment step while maintaining control through the service's automated workflows.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple software components are used to manage deployment, then deployment functionality can be enhanced, but the process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple deployment-related functions into a single integrated automated deployment service. This service combines package management, installation coordination, error handling, and rollback capabilities into one unified system, eliminating the need for administrators to manually coordinate multiple separate tools and processes while maintaining comprehensive deployment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated deployment service implements universality by designing a multi-functional system that can handle various deployment scenarios (new installations, updates, rollbacks) through a single interface. The deployment package format is designed to be universal, accommodating different software types and configurations through standardized manifest definitions, thereby reducing complexity while enhancing adaptability.
3Reliability
If software is deployed to maintain application performance, then service continuity is ensured, but deployment coordination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the automated deployment service continuously monitors deployment status across hosts and application performance metrics. The service receives feedback from deployment agents on each host regarding installation success or failure, and adjusts deployment coordination accordingly, enabling rapid error detection and recovery while maintaining service continuity without requiring difficult manual coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
Functionality is disclosed for automated deployment of applications. A network-based deployment service provides functionality for deploying software components to physical or virtual hosts in a service provider network and/or to hosts in other types of networks external to the service provider network. A user of the deployment service creates an application revision that includes deployable content and an application specification defining how the application is to be deployed and one or more lifecycle events. The application revision is then uploaded to a storage service, source code repository, or other location. A deployment configuration is also created that defines the location of the application revision, a deployment group, and a schedule for the deployment. A deployment agent executing on hosts in the deployment group obtains the application revision from the specified location, deploys the deployable content according to the schedule, and performs the lifecycle events.