Container Time Signal Pool for Independent Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current operating-system-level virtualization technologies lack the ability to provide accurate and independent time synchronization within containers, limiting each container to a single time domain and preventing multiple applications with different time synchronization needs from running simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to create a pool of clocks, allocate them to client containers or virtual machines, and provide a time signal in a specific time domain, using a software agent on the host system to manage synchronization and delegate clock devices, allowing for independent time domains within containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single time domain is used for all containers, then system simplicity is maintained, but independent time synchronization for each container is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single time domain into multiple independent time domains, with each container or virtual machine assigned its own dedicated time domain. This segmentation enables independent time synchronization for each container while maintaining overall system manageability through the pool of clocks architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
A pool of clocks is introduced as an intermediary layer between the host system and containers. This intermediary manages multiple time domains and allocates clocks to containers, enabling independent time synchronization without requiring complex direct management of each container's time domain by the host.
2Measurement precision
If multiple time domains are implemented for different containers, then accurate independent time synchronization is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pool of clocks serves multiple functions: it manages multiple time domains, allocates clocks to containers, and provides time synchronization services. This multi-functional design achieves accurate independent time synchronization for each container while avoiding the need for separate complex management systems for each time domain.
3Adaptability or versatility
If containers share a common time domain, then ease of operation is maintained, but the ability to run applications with different time synchronization needs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allocates clocks from the pool to containers based on their specific time synchronization needs. Containers can be configured with different time domains as required, and the pool of clocks adapts to accommodate these varying requirements without requiring static pre-configuration of all possible time domains.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically providing a time signal to containers in an operating system level virtualization or to virtual machines, the method including: —creating a pool of clocks; executing one or more containers in an operating system level virtualization or one or more virtual machines running on an executing hardware device; allocating one or more clocks of the pool of clocks to client containers in the one or more containers or to client virtual machines of the one or more virtual machines, thereby obtaining allocated clocks allocated to the client containers or the client virtual machines; wherein each of the allocated clocks provides a time signal in a time domain to at least one of the client containers or to at least one of the client virtual machines.