Abstraction Layer for Software Connector Configuration Across Environments
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process-based software applications require significant manual coding and redeployment efforts to adapt to different computing environments, involving high technical expertise and time, especially when dealing with changes in endpoint URLs, security parameters, and authentication mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A connectors framework that provides a layer of abstraction, enabling pre-deployment and post-deployment configuration of software connectors through a user interface, allowing for seamless configuration changes across various computing environments, including automatic parameterization of connectors based on their environment status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual coding instructions are used within process steps to call external computing resources, then the software application can meet the needs of a given process step, but significant manual recoding and redeployment efforts are required to adapt to different computing environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces connectors as intermediary components that abstract the interface between process steps and external computing resources. These connectors encapsulate environment-specific configuration details (endpoint URLs, security parameters, authentication mechanisms) and provide a unified interface for process steps. When deploying to different environments, only connector configurations need to be changed rather than recoding entire process steps, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the software application into distinct components: process steps (business logic) and connectors (interface layer). This segmentation allows independent configuration and deployment of connectors for different environments while reusing the core process step logic. The separation enables environment-specific adaptations without affecting the main process logic, reducing redeployment time while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual recoding is performed to account for different computing environments, then the software application can be deployed to different environments, but a high-level of technical expertise is required
Solution Approach 1:
Connectors serve as intermediaries that hide the complexity of environment-specific configurations from process step developers. The connectors encapsulate detailed knowledge about endpoint URLs, security parameters, and authentication mechanisms, presenting a simplified interface to process steps. This reduces the technical expertise required for deployment to different environments while maintaining full deployability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables copying and reusing connector configurations across different environments. Once a connector is configured for one environment, it can be copied and adapted for other environments by modifying configuration parameters rather than recreating the entire connector logic. This copying mechanism simplifies the deployment process and reduces the technical expertise needed while maintaining adaptability to different environments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual alterations to code are made when changes in computing environment are necessary, then the software application can be adapted, but problematic shut-down of a running software application is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configuration of connectors, allowing environment-specific parameters to be changed without recoding or shutting down the application. Connectors are designed to accept configuration updates at runtime, enabling hot-swapping of environment settings. This dynamic approach maintains application continuity while providing full adaptability to environment changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates configuration activities from execution activities. Connectors are pre-configured with environment-specific parameters before deployment, but these configurations can be updated without shutting down the running application. This preliminary configuration approach, combined with runtime update capability, eliminates the need for shut-down during environment adaptations while maintaining full adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If connectors framework provides a layer of abstraction, then user access to configuration is simplified through UI controls, but the system complexity increases due to the abstraction layer
Solution Approach 1:
The connectors framework acts as an intermediary abstraction layer that simplifies user interaction with complex connector configurations. The framework provides a unified interface and standardized configuration mechanisms, hiding the underlying complexity from users. While the framework itself adds architectural complexity, it encapsulates this complexity in a manageable and reusable component that simplifies overall system operation and maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A layer of abstraction is provided for developing, configuring, displaying, selecting, and re-configuring connectors used through stages of predeployment, deployment, and post-deployment. A connector is created with the layer of abstraction, wherein the connector provides a first configuration of added functionality to software components for calling a web service. The connector is used to tie a step of a process-based software application to the web service. A different configuration of added functionality is provided for each of the stages of predeployment, deployment, and post deployment using the layer of abstraction.