Live Pipeline Templates for Deployment Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of deploying and managing computing services in cloud environments leads to inefficient use of engineering resources, as engineers spend significant time configuring and updating systems, resulting in inconsistent results and a lack of standardization across deployment pipelines.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of live pipeline templates, which are inheritable and extensible source code templates that encapsulate best practices for configuring and deploying services, allowing for automated generation and management of continuous deployment pipelines, reducing configuration time and ensuring consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If engineers manually configure and provision each system and service for deployment, then customization and adaptability are achieved, but configuration time and engineering resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining deployment pipelines, testing stages, and configuration templates before actual deployment occurs. The system stores approved deployment configurations and testing procedures in advance, allowing engineers to simply select and apply pre-vetted templates rather than configuring everything from scratch during deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by replicating proven deployment pipeline configurations across different services and environments. Instead of manually recreating deployment procedures, the system copies approved pipeline templates and adapts them to specific service needs, significantly reducing configuration time while maintaining consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If engineers manually manage deployment pipelines, then flexibility in customization is maintained, but consistency and standardization across pipelines deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments deployment pipelines into standardized modular components including testing stages, configuration templates, and validation steps. Each component can be independently defined and reused, ensuring consistency across pipelines while allowing flexible combination to meet specific service requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by allowing template-based configurations where engineers modify specific parameters (such as service names, versions, or resource allocations) within a standardized pipeline framework. This maintains overall consistency while enabling necessary customizations through controlled parameter adjustments rather than complete redesign.
3Adaptability or versatility
If deployment pipelines are manually created and maintained, then adaptability to specific service needs is achieved, but productivity and engineering efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the deployment system to automatically execute predefined pipelines without requiring manual intervention at each step. Once a template is selected and parameters are configured, the system autonomously performs configuration, testing, and deployment actions, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining service-specific adaptability through template selection.
4Adaptability or versatility
If engineers spend time configuring and updating deployment pipelines, then customization capabilities are maintained, but the quality and features of deployed applications suffer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts deployment pipeline management from application development by separating configuration and deployment functions into independent template-based systems. Engineers no longer spend time configuring pipelines as part of application development; instead, they simply select appropriate templates, freeing their time to focus on improving application quality and features.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are presented for managing a deployment pipeline using an inheritable and extensible source code template—generally referred to as a live pipeline template (LPT). As described, live pipeline templates may be used to manage deployment pipelines which, in turn, are used to launch, maintain, and update the services and systems used to host and provide computing services.