Bootstrapping Software Agents in Certified Cloud Templates
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Solution Overview
Problem
System administrators face challenges in updating certified cloud templates to add or remove software services due to the need for recertification, which is time-consuming and cumbersome, especially when enterprise structures or business needs change.
Innovation Solution
The method involves installing an application director agent within an existing certified virtual machine template using an IaaS agent, allowing the VM to communicate with an application director for advanced deployment tasks without modifying or recertifying the template, thereby enabling the use of existing templates with enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a certified template is modified to add or remove software services, then the template can be updated to meet changing enterprise needs, but the template must undergo recertification which is time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the template update process by separating the template structure from the software services. The template itself remains unchanged and certified, while software services are added or removed independently through service definitions that reference the existing template, avoiding recertification of the template structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts software services from the template structure itself. Services are defined as separate entities that can be associated with templates without being part of the template's core structure, allowing services to be modified independently of the template certification status.
2Reliability
If an administrator updates each template individually to add software services, then all templates can be kept current, but the administrative effort and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal service definition mechanism that can be applied to multiple templates simultaneously. A single service definition can reference and be applied to numerous templates, allowing administrators to update services across the entire system through a single operation rather than updating each template individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses service definitions as templates for service deployment. Instead of manually configuring services on each template, the service definition serves as a reusable template that can be copied and applied across multiple templates, reducing administrative effort and ensuring consistency.
3Ease of operation
If software services are preinstalled on certified templates, then deployment is simplified, but the templates become less flexible when business needs change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes service configuration dynamic by separating service definitions from template structure. Services can be dynamically added, removed, or modified by updating service definitions without changing the template itself, allowing the system to adapt to changing business needs while maintaining deployment simplicity through the existing template structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for adapting virtual computing resource (e.g., virtual machine) templates for use with new software platforms without modifying, or otherwise requiring recertification of, the template itself is disclosed. The system enables the installation of a software agent to be bootstrapped to the installation and execution of an agent already included in a template. Installation of the bootstrapped software agent may be performed automatically during initial provisioning of a virtual computing resource with little or no additional effort required from an administrator. Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosure enable preexisting templates to repurposed for use with new and/or more advanced cloud management platforms.