Cross-Cloud Database Fault Tolerance via Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional database systems face complexity and error issues when managing large distributed architectures, especially when integrating cloud services and virtual architectures, leading to increased management challenges and potential downtime.

Innovation Solution

A cross-cloud architecture is developed that maintains secure connections between database elements across multiple cloud providers, utilizing automation agents, indirection layers, and replication architectures to enhance fault tolerance and resource utilization, allowing for automated management and reduced downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a distributed database architecture is implemented across multiple cloud providers, then fault tolerance and availability are improved, but system complexity and management difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault toleranceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the distributed database architecture into distinct components: cloud-agnostic virtual machine instances, cloud provider-specific networking layers, and modular connection management agents. This segmentation allows the core database functionality to remain simple while distributing complexity across manageable, independent layers that can be configured per cloud provider.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cloud provider-specific networking layers and connection management agents as intermediary components between the database instances and the cloud infrastructure. These intermediaries abstract the complexity of multi-cloud connectivity, handling authentication, networking, and connection management while presenting a unified interface to the database system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If cloud services and virtual architectures are integrated into distributed databases, then scalability and resource utilization are improved, but management complexity and error potential increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidmanagement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service capabilities through automated connection management agents that autonomously handle instance provisioning, connection string generation, and configuration synchronization across cloud providers. The virtual machine instances automatically manage their own networking and connectivity, reducing the need for manual administrative intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal cloud-agnostic virtual machine instance architecture that can operate across multiple cloud providers with the same configuration. This multi-functional design allows a single database instance to serve multiple cloud environments, reducing management overhead while maintaining optimal resource utilization across different cloud infrastructures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If database elements are distributed across multiple cloud providers, then disaster recovery capability is improved, but connection management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisaster recoveryVSAvoidconnection management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an additional abstraction dimension by implementing cloud provider-specific networking layers that operate between the database instances and cloud infrastructure. This extra layer provides a standardized interface for connection management across different cloud providers, transforming the complexity from managing direct cloud-provider-specific connections to managing connections through a unified networking abstraction layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12141164B2Cross-cloud deployments
Publication Date: 2024.11.12 MONGODB INC
  • US12141164B2 patent drawing
  • US12141164B2 patent drawing
  • US12141164B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for managing a distributed database across multiple cloud provider systems. Database elements (e.g., primary, secondary, and/or read-only nodes) are distributed across multiple cloud provider systems. A provisioning component is configured to enable cross-cloud configuration options to specify the manner in which the clusters/replica set members are to be deployed across multiple cloud providers and/or geographical regions.