Cloud Server Provisioning via Provider-Specific Templates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inefficiencies in provisioning cloud-based servers and server clusters across multiple infrastructure providers, as they need to individually configure and request resources from each provider, lacking a centralized system to manage compatibility and optimization.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses generic configuration templates to generate provider-specific specifications, allowing users to request provisioning from multiple providers while monitoring performance to optimize resource utilization and adjust configurations accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users configure and request provisioning of each server individually from each infrastructure provider, then they can obtain specific server configurations, but the process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the server provisioning process into two distinct parts: a generic configuration template that defines the desired server specifications, and provider-specific adaptations that translate this template into each infrastructure provider's format. This segmentation allows users to define their needs once in a standardized way while the system handles the complexity of multiple provider interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a configuration template as an intermediary layer between the user and multiple infrastructure providers. This template acts as a standardized interface that can be translated into provider-specific configurations, eliminating the need for users to directly interact with each provider's unique configuration system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users interact with multiple infrastructure providers individually to find compatible configurations, then they can access diverse server options, but the complexity of managing multiple provider interactions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration template serves as a universal interface that can be applied across multiple infrastructure providers. By defining server requirements in a provider-agnostic format, the system enables users to access diverse server options from multiple providers without needing to learn or manage each provider's specific configuration system.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration template acts as an intermediary that abstracts away the complexity of multiple provider interactions. It translates user requirements into provider-specific configurations automatically, allowing the system to manage multiple providers without increasing user-facing complexity.
3Productivity
If users manually configure each server request individually, then they can specify precise requirements, but the productivity and efficiency of server provisioning decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to define their server configuration requirements in advance using a generic template, before actually requesting provisioning from any specific provider. This preliminary configuration step captures all necessary requirements once, and the system then automatically adapts this configuration for multiple providers, eliminating repetitive manual configuration work.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration template acts as a reusable blueprint that can be copied and adapted across multiple provider requests. Instead of manually configuring each server request from scratch, the system uses the template as a master copy that generates provider-specific configurations automatically, dramatically improving provisioning efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to brokering requests for cloud computing resources between a user and multiple infrastructure providers. According to one embodiment, an infrastructure manager acting as a broker receives a template including configuration information for one or more servers. For each of the plurality of infrastructure providers, the infrastructure manager generates an infrastructure provider-specific specification based on the generic template, transmits the provider-specific specification file to the infrastructure provider, and receives information from the infrastructure provider indicating whether the configuration is valid. The infrastructure receives a selection of one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers to provision the one or more servers and requests the provisioning of the servers from the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers. The requests generally use the provider-specific specification files for the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers.