Container Update via Data Volume Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional container distribution systems require rebuilding and redistributing new images for updates, consuming significant computing resources and causing undesirable delays.
Innovation Solution
The system configures application containers to automatically discover and update with ancillary code by packaging it into data volume containers, allowing updates without modifying the base image, thus minimizing user intervention and resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional container distribution systems rebuild and redistribute new images for updates, then container updates can be applied, but computing resources are consumed and delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the container update process by separating ancillary code into independent data volume containers that can be updated separately from the main application container image. This allows incremental updates without rebuilding the entire container image, resolving the contradiction between maintaining update capability and improving update speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having application containers automatically discover and pull required ancillary code from data volume containers before execution. This pre-positioning of update code eliminates the need for time-consuming image rebuilds when updates are needed, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If traditional container distribution systems rebuild and redistribute new images for updates, then container updates can be applied, but considerable computing resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts ancillary code from the main container image and places it in separate data volume containers. This extraction allows the base image to remain unchanged and reusable, eliminating the need to rebuild and redistribute entire images for minor updates, thus significantly reducing computing resource consumption while maintaining update capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal base container image that can serve multiple purposes and be reused across different contexts. By separating updateable ancillary code from the stable base image, the same base image can be used repeatedly without rebuilding, reducing computing resource consumption while maintaining the ability to apply updates through data volume containers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If container images are rebuilt and redistributed for updates, then new code can be deployed, but undesirable delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces data volume containers as intermediaries between the container runtime and update code. These intermediary containers hold ancillary code and can be mounted to application containers on-demand, enabling rapid code deployment without the time-consuming process of rebuilding and redistributing entire container images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-building and storing ancillary code in data volume containers ahead of time. When updates are needed, the application container can immediately discover and use the pre-prepared code from data volume containers, eliminating delays associated with on-the-fly image rebuilding and enabling rapid code deployment.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosed computer-implemented method for updating containers may include (i) identifying an application container that is instantiated from a static application container image, (ii) identifying ancillary code that is designed to modify execution of the application executing in the application container, (iii) packaging the ancillary code into a data volume container image to be deployed to the host system that hosts the application container, (iv) discovering, by the application container, a data volume container instantiated from the data volume container image on the host system, and (v) modifying, by the application container, the execution of the application executing in the application container with the ancillary code, without modifying the static application container image, at least in part by instantiating the application container with a pointer to the location of the data volume container that contains the ancillary code. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.