Edge Zone Node Reallocation for Compute Density and Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud-computing systems experience latency issues due to data centers being located far from clients, and edge zones, while maintaining an optimal balance between infrastructure and compute nodes is crucial for efficient workload execution.

Innovation Solution

Dynamically reallocating nodes between compute and infrastructure node pools based on utilization and health metrics to maintain an optimal balance, ensuring sufficient infrastructure nodes are available for critical functions and maximizing compute density.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If data centers are located far from clients to provide cloud computing services, then service coverage is improved, but latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice coverage areaVSAvoidaccess latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized data center into distributed edge zones located closer to clients. By dividing the computing infrastructure into multiple geographically distributed nodes, the system achieves both wide service coverage and low latency for local clients, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and access time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If more nodes are allocated to infrastructure services in edge zones, then system reliability is improved, but compute density decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfrastructure service reliabilityVSAvoidcompute node density
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic node allocation where infrastructure nodes and compute nodes can be automatically reconfigured based on real-time system needs. This dynamic adjustment allows the edge zone to maintain optimal infrastructure reliability while maximizing compute density, as nodes are allocated flexibly rather than statically

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If edge zones have fewer nodes to maximize compute density, then compute capacity is improved, but system reliability worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompute node densityVSAvoidedge zone reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes nodes universal by enabling automatic role transformation between infrastructure and compute functions. Nodes can dynamically switch roles based on demand, allowing the edge zone to maintain high compute density while ensuring infrastructure reliability through multi-functional nodes that can adapt to different operational requirements

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

Data Source

PatentEP4211557B1Automatic node fungibility between compute and infrastructure nodes in edge zones
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4211557B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4211557B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4211557B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A cloud-computing system dynamically manages allocation of infrastructure nodes and compute nodes in an edge zone of the cloud-computing system. The edge zone begins with a first number of infrastructure nodes and a second number of compute nodes. As the edge zone executes customer workloads, the cloud-computing system determines whether the infrastructure nodes are over utilized or under utilized. When the infrastructure nodes are under utilized, the cloud-computing system re-assigns an infrastructure node to the compute nodes. When the infrastructure nodes are over utilized, the cloud-computing system re-assigns a compute node to the infrastructure nodes. In this way, the cloud-computing system dynamically maintains an optimal balance between resources devoted to supporting the edge zone (the infrastructure nodes) and resources devoted to executing customer workloads (the compute nodes). In other words, the cloud-computing system continually maximizes use of edge zone resources for executing the customer workloads while maintaining necessary infrastructure.