Application Fulfillment Platform Virtualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large enterprises face difficulties in managing and updating desktop applications across multiple locations due to complex deployment and maintenance processes, which can impact user productivity and lead to missed opportunities for license synergies and cost control transparency.
Innovation Solution
An application fulfillment platform that provides on-demand delivery and management of desktop applications through a service provider system, enabling IT administrators to build and manage application catalogs, assign applications to users, and control updates, while offering users self-service access and flexible usage reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional physical installation of applications on each machine is used, then users can execute applications locally, but deployment and management become difficult and complex at scale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtualization to create virtual copies of applications that can be deployed remotely without physical installation on each machine. Virtual machine images and application containers serve as replicable copies that can be instantly deployed across multiple machines, eliminating the need for manual physical installation while maintaining application functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between physical hardware and application deployment. This virtualization infrastructure (including virtual machine monitors and hypervisors) mediates the interaction between users, applications, and physical resources, enabling simplified remote deployment and management while abstracting away the physical installation complexity.
2Reliability
If applications are physically installed on each machine, then users can access applications locally, but updates and patches become complex to deploy without affecting user productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by preparing updated application images and patches in advance within the virtualization environment. Updates are staged and tested before being deployed to production systems, allowing patching operations to be performed without disrupting ongoing user work. The system can apply updates during off-hours or in a staged manner across different machine groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtualization framework enables dynamic updates where application images can be modified and redeployed without requiring physical reinstallation on each machine. The system can dynamically apply patches to virtual machine images and propagate them across the infrastructure, allowing updates to be applied flexibly during or outside business hours without affecting user productivity.
3Loss of information
If traditional application management is used, then applications can be installed locally, but there is a lack of transparency into cost controls and spending
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualization framework incorporates feedback mechanisms that provide detailed visibility into application usage, licensing costs, and resource consumption. The system tracks which virtual machines are running which applications, how long they run, and associated licensing fees, providing transparent feedback to administrators about cost control and spending patterns across the entire infrastructure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If legacy applications run on older operating system versions, then compatibility is maintained, but deployment on-demand becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualization framework provides universality by running multiple operating system versions simultaneously on the same physical hardware through virtual machines. Legacy applications can continue running on older OS versions within virtualized environments, while newer applications can run on updated OS versions, all managed through a single unified platform that enables on-demand deployment of any application version without requiring physical infrastructure for each OS type.
Data Source
AI summary
A service provider system may include an application fulfillment platform that delivers desktop applications to desktops on physical computing devices or virtual desktop instances. A computing resource instance may be registered with the platform, which generates a unique identifier and a security token for the computing resource instance using multiple authentication mechanisms. An end user of a customer organization may be registered with the platform, which generates a unique identifier and a security token for the end user using multiple authentication mechanisms. An application delivery agent may submit service requests to the platform on behalf of itself or the given user. The identity and security credentials included in the requests may be dependent on the request type and the entities on whose behalf they are submitted. A proxy service on the platform may receive the requests and validate the credentials, then dispatch the requests to other services on the platform.