Multi-Node BAS Microservices for Fault-Tolerant Server Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building automation systems (BAS) face scalability and fault-tolerance issues due to reliance on single server applications, which can lead to costly hardware upgrades and downtime when user demand increases.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a microservices architecture with a server platform that decomposes server functionality into separate services, using containerization technology, orchestration networks, and a common data model to manage communication and data storage, allowing for independent deployment and fault monitoring of services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single server application is used to control and monitor BAS devices, then the system structure is simple and ease of operation is maintained, but scalability deteriorates and fault-tolerance decreases when user demand increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monolithic server application into multiple independent microservices (e.g., device management service, alarm management service, historical data service, user management service). Each microservice runs in a separate container process, allowing independent deployment, scaling, and maintenance. This segmentation enables the system to scale horizontally by adding more container instances of specific services based on demand, while maintaining operational simplicity through automated orchestration.
2Device complexity
If a single server application is used, then device complexity is low, but reliability deteriorates due to decreased fault-tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the server into independent microservices running in separate containers, the patent isolates faults to specific services rather than causing system-wide failures. If one microservice fails, others continue to operate independently. The orchestration platform detects failures and automatically restarts affected container processes, enhancing reliability without significantly increasing perceived complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements replication of container processes across multiple nodes in the distributed system. Multiple copies of the same microservice can run simultaneously on different servers, providing redundancy. If one instance fails, another copy can take over, ensuring continuous service availability and improving fault-tolerance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If server functionality is decomposed into separate microservices, then scalability and fault-tolerance are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an orchestration platform as an intermediary that manages the complexity of deploying, monitoring, and coordinating multiple microservices. The orchestration platform handles service registration, discovery, load balancing, and failure recovery automatically. This intermediary abstracts the underlying complexity from users, allowing them to interact with the system through a unified interface while benefiting from the scalability and fault-tolerance of the distributed microservice architecture.
4Reliability
If microservice architecture with multiple nodes is implemented, then system reliability improves through fault-tolerance, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The orchestration platform serves as a mediator that manages the complexity of the multi-node distributed system. It handles node registration, service placement, inter-node communication coordination, and failure recovery across the distributed infrastructure. This intermediary layer abstracts the multi-node complexity, allowing the system to achieve high reliability through distributed fault-tolerance while presenting a simplified interface to users and administrators.
Data Source
AI summary
A building automation system (BAS) with microservice architecture. The system includes a server platform configured to perform various operations within the building automation system. The server platform includes a microservices platform configured to execute various processes within the BAS. The microservices platform includes a plurality of nodes where each node is configured to run one or more services as separate processes. The microservices platform further includes a message bus configured to control communication between processes and an orchestration network configured to control communication between the plurality of nodes. The server platform further includes a common data model (CDM) shared between the plurality of nodes where the CDM consists of metadata of the BAS. The server platform further includes a container orchestration platform configured to manage and control the plurality of nodes.