Elastic Offload of Prebuilt Traffic Management Virtual Machines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing traffic management systems face challenges in efficiently managing network traffic and optimizing system performance, particularly when customer-specific hardware and components are not compatible, leading to suboptimal functionality and increased burdens on vendors.

Innovation Solution

A traffic management system (TMS) that deploys component virtual machines (CVMs) to cloud infrastructure, enabling dynamic task offloading and optimization based on anticipated usage patterns, resource utilization, and specific deployment policies, supporting various cloud APIs and infrastructures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a vendor tailors makes a system for a customer based on customer's needs, then the system compatibility and functionality are improved, but the time consumption and vendor burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem compatibilityVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-building traffic management system components with multiple compatible hardware platforms and cloud infrastructure integrations before customer deployment. The system pre-configures virtual machine templates and establishes compatibility frameworks in advance, allowing rapid customization without time-consuming vendor intervention for each customer scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by designing a traffic management system that can operate across multiple hardware platforms and cloud infrastructures through a unified architecture. The system uses standardized interfaces and abstraction layers that enable the same core functionality to serve diverse customer environments without requiring separate tailored developments.

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

2Quantity of substance

If existing customer hardware and components are utilized, then cost is reduced, but compatibility issues and functionality limitations arise

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidfunctionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing virtual machine components as a mediation layer between existing customer hardware and the traffic management system. These virtual machines act as compatibility intermediaries that translate between diverse hardware platforms and the system's required interfaces, enabling cost-effective use of customer existing resources while maintaining full system functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the traffic management system into modular virtual machine components that can be independently deployed and configured. This segmentation allows the system to selectively utilize existing customer hardware for specific functions while supplementing with additional resources where needed, optimizing cost efficiency without sacrificing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of time

If a traffic management system is built with fixed architecture, then development time is reduced, but adaptability to different customer environments decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevelopment timeVSAvoidenvironment compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by designing a traffic management system with dynamic resource allocation and flexible deployment capabilities. The system can dynamically provision virtual machines, adjust resource allocation based on customer environment requirements, and adapt its architecture at runtime without requiring lengthy re-development processes for different customer scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2939369B1Elastic offload of prebuilt traffic management system component virtual machines
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 F5 NETWORKS INC
  • EP2939369B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2939369B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2939369B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments are directed towards employing a traffic management system (TMS) that is enabled to deploy component virtual machines (CVM) to the cloud to perform tasks of the TMS. In some embodiments, a TMS may be employed with one or more CVMs. In at least one embodiment, the TMS may maintain an image of each CVM. Each CVM may be configured to perform one or more tasks, to operate in specific cloud infrastructures, or the like. The TMS may deploy one or more CVMs locally and/or to one or more public and/or private clouds. In some embodiments, deployment of the CVMs may be based on a type of task to be performed, anticipated resource utilization, customer policies, or the like. The deployment of the CVMs may be dynamically updated based on monitored usage patterns, task completions, customer policies, or the like.