Software Container Messaging Broker for Inter-Container Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of communication between multiple software containers hinders effective inter-application communication, making it challenging to manage and coordinate tasks across different applications operating on the same data set.
Innovation Solution
A messaging mechanism utilizing a message broker, such as an MQTT protocol-based Mosquitto messaging broker, facilitates communication between applications within containers and between containers and device services by enabling subscription to topics and publishing messages, allowing for efficient data exchange and command management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate containers are used to execute applications in different programming languages, then language-specific task execution is improved, but communication complexity between containers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a message broker as an intermediary component that mediates communication between multiple software containers. The message broker receives messages from publisher applications in one container and routes them to subscriber applications in other containers, eliminating the need for direct container-to-container communication protocols. This resolves the communication complexity while preserving the ability to execute language-specific tasks in separate containers.
2Ease of operation
If a message broker is introduced to facilitate inter-container communication, then communication ease is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The message broker is designed as a universal communication infrastructure that handles multiple communication patterns (publish-subscribe, request-response) and supports various data formats. It provides a standardized interface for all containers regardless of their programming language or specific function, allowing the system to manage complexity internally while presenting a simple communication model to applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The message broker acts as a mediator that abstracts the complexity of inter-container communication. Instead of requiring applications to implement complex communication logic, the broker handles message routing, delivery guarantees, and protocol translation, thereby improving ease of operation while containing system complexity within the broker itself.
3Productivity
If containers are made smaller and more modular, then deployment efficiency is improved, but communication coordination between modular components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments applications into independent, lightweight containers that can be deployed separately and scaled independently. Each container encapsulates a specific function or service, improving deployment efficiency and modularity. The message broker provides the coordination layer that enables these segmented components to communicate effectively despite their independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The message broker serves as the coordination intermediary that enables modular containers to work together. It provides standardized communication protocols and routing mechanisms that simplify the coordination between modular components, allowing small, independent containers to collaborate efficiently without requiring complex point-to-point communication logic.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for facilitating communication with at least one software container are presented. In an example embodiment, a first messaging client executing on a computing system subscribes to a messaging topic at a messaging broker executing in the system. The subscribing to the messaging topic includes providing an identifier corresponding to the first messaging client. A second messaging client executing on the system publishes a message for the messaging topic to the messaging broker. The messaging broker forwards the published message to the first messaging client based on the subscribing to the messaging topic by the first messaging client. One or both of the first messaging client and the second messaging client execute in corresponding software containers in the system.