Automatic Event-Triggered Snapshots in Virtualized Containers

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Long-running virtualized container environments (VCEs) often go too long between snapshots, leading to undesired behavior due to reconfiguration events, which can cause instability, data loss, and inefficient resource usage from frequent or scheduled snapshots.

Innovation Solution

A system that automatically takes snapshots upon specific events-of-interest and deletes them after a configurable period if the VCE operates normally, using hooks and neural networks to determine event success, thereby optimizing resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent or scheduled snapshots are taken to ensure VCE stability, then reliability is improved, but resource consumption and storage space increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVCE stabilityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The snapshot system transitions from static scheduled intervals to dynamic event-triggered timing. Snapshots are taken based on detected reconfiguration events rather than fixed schedules, allowing the system to adapt snapshot frequency to actual VCE state changes and minimize unnecessary resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring VCE state changes and using this information to trigger snapshots only when reconfiguration events are detected. This feedback loop ensures snapshots are taken when necessary for stability while avoiding redundant snapshots that consume resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If snapshots are taken frequently to capture reconfiguration events, then reliability is improved, but storage space consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVCE stabilityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and isolates only the necessary snapshot data related to reconfiguration events rather than capturing all VCE state changes. By focusing on specific event-triggered snapshots, storage space is optimized while maintaining the ability to recover from problematic reconfigurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The snapshot retention policy dynamically adjusts based on event types and system state. Rather than uniformly retaining all snapshots indefinitely, the system modifies retention parameters to keep only necessary snapshots, reducing storage consumption while maintaining reliability for critical events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If snapshots are taken before every reconfiguration event to prevent data loss, then reliability is improved, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata loss preventionVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting reconfiguration events and triggering snapshots only when specific event conditions are met. This selective preliminary action prevents data loss for critical events while avoiding the processing overhead of snapshots for routine or non-critical changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Rather than taking snapshots for every possible event, the system applies partial action by selecting only the most critical reconfiguration events that require snapshot protection. This reduces processing overhead while maintaining adequate data loss prevention for high-risk operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Loss of energy

If manual snapshot management is used to optimize resource usage, then resource consumption is reduced, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource consumptionVSAvoidsnapshot management

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically detecting reconfiguration events and triggering snapshots without requiring manual intervention. The automated event monitoring and snapshot creation reduces resource consumption through intelligent timing while maintaining ease of operation through hands-free management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges event monitoring and snapshot management functions into an integrated automated workflow. By combining event detection, decision logic, and snapshot execution into a unified system, it achieves both resource optimization through intelligent triggering and operational simplicity through automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250231783A1Automatic snapshot creation in virtualized computing environments

Publication Date: 2025.07.17 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for automatically managing snapshots of applications of interest in virtualized container environment (VCE). The method may comprise intercepting an action-of-interest directed to an application-of-interest within a VCE. The method may further comprise automatically capturing a snapshot of the VCE before executing the intercepted action-of-interest. The method may further comprise executing the intercepted action-of-interest. The method may further comprise automatically deleting the snapshot after a predetermined time period following the intercepted action.