Data Center Configuration Update Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing environments, updating configuration and operating system information across numerous devices in data centers is challenging due to the high risk of errors, which can disrupt user access to resources.
Innovation Solution
A management system that distributes and updates configuration information, OS images, and authentication data across a highly connected network, performing health checks and traffic management to ensure minimal disruption, using high-throughput commodity switches and redundant links to maintain network stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If configuration updates are performed on numerous devices in data centers, then resource scalability and service improvement are achieved, but error risk and disruption to user access increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration update process into distinct phases: validation phase (where configuration is tested in isolation) and deployment phase (where configuration is applied to devices). This segmentation allows the system to maintain scalability while reducing error risk by separating testing from execution, ensuring that only validated configurations are deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary validation of configuration changes before they are deployed to actual devices. The system validates configurations in advance during a validation phase, and only after successful validation does it proceed to the deployment phase. This preliminary action prevents errors from reaching production environments, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling continuous scalability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If configuration updates are applied to devices, then service improvement is achieved, but disruption to user access and resource availability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of configurations before deployment, ensuring that changes are tested and verified in advance. This preliminary action prevents service disruptions by catching potential issues before they affect resource availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that monitor configuration deployment outcomes and provide information about the status of configuration changes. The system can detect when configurations are successfully applied and when issues arise, allowing for real-time adjustments and rollbacks to maintain resource availability during service improvements.
3Ease of manufacture
If traffic shifting is performed to upload new configuration, then configuration update is enabled, but network complexity and potential disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration update process into validation and deployment phases, which simplifies network operations. During validation, configurations are tested without requiring complex traffic shifting. During deployment, pre-validates configurations are applied systematically, reducing the complexity of network management compared to attempting updates without this segmentation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Approaches are described for managing configuration information updates, or other information in a data center, shared resource environment, or other such electronic environment. A management component is provided that can manage distribution of configuration information, operating system (OS) images, authentication data, or other such information for host machines, servers, or other such devices in a network environment. The management component can further perform a number of actions when deploying configuration information updates, such as performing one or more checks to verify the health of a target switch, deactivating the target switch, shifting traffic to and from the target switch, updating a current configuration of the target switch, verifying the target switch's health after the configuration changes, bringing the target switch back in service, among others.