Continuous Deployment Module for Microservice Configuration Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional software configuration management systems face challenges in efficiently managing microservices configurations across multiple business units and namespaces, leading to cumbersome updates and potential errors due to the need for propagating changes across multiple deployment files.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a continuous deployment module that monitors configuration deployment file changes in a software configuration management system, allowing for the detection of modifications and deployment of microservices based on a single source repository, thereby maintaining a single copy of configuration map representations and updating only relevant microservices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If configuration changes are propagated across multiple deployment files in conventional systems, then all microservices can be updated, but the complexity of configuration management increases and errors may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration management reliabilityVSAvoidconfiguration management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments configuration management by introducing namespace-aware deployment monitoring that divides the configuration space into isolated namespaces. Each namespace maintains its own deployment files independently, preventing the need to propagate changes across all deployment files system-wide. This segmentation reduces complexity while maintaining reliability through targeted updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of propagating configuration changes from a central location to multiple deployment files (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by having each namespace independently define its configuration in its own deployment files. The system then monitors and synchronizes these decentralized configurations, eliminating the complexity of manual propagation while ensuring consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Adaptability or versatility

If configuration deployment files are replicated across multiple namespaces, then all microservices can access configurations, but updates require modifying multiple files increasing error potential

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accessibilityVSAvoidconfiguration update ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments configuration storage by namespace, allowing each namespace to have its own dedicated deployment files. This enables microservices in different namespaces to access their specific configurations independently, maintaining adaptability while simplifying updates since changes are localized to specific namespace files rather than requiring modifications across multiple replicated files.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a namespace-aware continuous deployment module as an intermediary that monitors configuration changes and automatically synchronizes them to the appropriate microservices. This mediator handles the complexity of configuration distribution, making the update process easier by automating what would otherwise require manual propagation across multiple files.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If a single source repository is used for configuration management, then the system maintains DRY principle, but detecting and deploying to relevant microservices requires precise monitoring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration management efficiencyVSAvoidconfiguration change detection difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the monitoring process by namespace, allowing the continuous deployment module to track configuration changes in each namespace independently. This segmentation makes detection easier by focusing monitoring efforts on specific namespaces rather than scanning all configuration files system-wide, while still maintaining the DRY principle through a single source repository.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the continuous deployment module continuously monitors the source repository for configuration changes, detects modifications, and automatically triggers deployment to affected microservices. This closed-loop feedback system simplifies detection by providing real-time notifications of changes, eliminating the need for manual scanning and improving productivity through automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12159134B2Efficient configuration management in continuous deployment

Publication Date: 2024.12.03 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Methods, system, and non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for efficient software configuration management system in a continuous deployment environment are provided herein. An example method includes receiving, by a continuous deployment module, instructions to deploy a microservice application. A configuration manager creates a dictionary comprising a plurality of configuration map objects. The continuous deployment module deploys the microservice application in the software configuration management system, where the microservice application mounts at least one configuration map object from the plurality of configuration map objects.