Cloud Data Collector Infrastructure Templates for Flexible Schema Ingestion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Analyzing and searching massive quantities of machine data generated in modern data centers and computing environments is challenging due to the vast variety and volume of data types and formats, with existing tools often discarding non-preprocessed data and limiting analysis flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A cloud data collector (CDC) application generates infrastructure templates to configure the ingestion of user data from service provider networks into a data intake and query system, allowing for flexible schema development and late-binding schema application, enabling the storage and analysis of minimally processed machine data for real-time querying and search.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If pre-processing is applied to reduce data volume, then storage requirements are reduced, but data flexibility and analysis capability are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata volumeVSAvoidanalysis flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by generating infrastructure templates that define data collection configurations before data ingestion occurs. These templates establish schemas and data models in advance, enabling the system to prepare for various data types and formats without pre-processing the actual data, thus maintaining both storage efficiency and analysis flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic schema evolution through late-binding schema application. Unlike static pre-processing approaches, the schema is applied dynamically at query time or data ingestion time, allowing the system to adapt to different data formats and structures without committing to a fixed preprocessing configuration, thereby preserving analysis flexibility while managing data volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If minimal processing is applied to retain all data, then data flexibility is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the data processing function into distinct components: infrastructure template generation, data ingestion, schema application, and query processing. By separating these functions, the system manages complexity through modular architecture while retaining all minimally processed data for flexible analysis. Each component handles a specific aspect, reducing overall system complexity despite comprehensive data retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The infrastructure template acts as an intermediary between data sources and the data intake system. It defines the schema and configuration rules that govern how data is ingested and stored without requiring complex real-time processing decisions. This intermediary layer simplifies the system by pre-establishing data handling rules while allowing flexible data retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If infrastructure templates are generated for data ingestion, then data flexibility is improved, but processing time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveschema flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary schema definition through infrastructure template generation before data ingestion. By establishing the data model, field definitions, and configuration rules in advance, the system eliminates the need for complex real-time schema interpretation during data processing. This preliminary setup reduces processing time while maintaining schema flexibility for diverse data types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies schemas dynamically at ingestion or query time rather than requiring extensive pre-processing. This dynamic approach allows the infrastructure templates to define flexible data models without committing rigid preprocessing transformations, reducing processing time while preserving adaptability for different data formats and analysis requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11799798B1Generating infrastructure templates for facilitating the transmission of user data into a data intake and query system
Publication Date: 2023.10.24 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • US11799798B1 patent drawing
  • US11799798B1 patent drawing
  • US11799798B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Techniques are described for providing a cloud data collector (CDC) application for managing the generation of infrastructure templates. The CDC application provides graphical user interfaces that enable a user to provide inputs indicating configurations of data to be ingested by the data intake and query system, each configuration including one or more user accounts, in addition to data sources and regions associated with data sources. Using the configurations provided as input to the CDC application, the CDC application generates an infrastructure template that can be used to configure the service provider network to provide the requested security data to the data intake and query system.