Microservice Synchronization Using Shared Readiness Entries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Microservice-based computing applications face challenges in coordinating the simultaneous update of multiple microservices, such as switching to a new TLS certificate, to prevent downtime during the update process.

Innovation Solution

A synchronizer process that monitors 'ready-to-proceed' entries written by each microservice to a shared database, determining when all microservices are ready, and sets a synchronized time for all microservices to initiate the task.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If microservices are updated independently without coordination, then each microservice can be updated flexibly and quickly, but the application experiences downtime during the update process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate speedVSAvoidapplication availability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronizer process performs preliminary actions by monitoring readiness-to-proceed entries from all microservices before initiating the coordinated update. Each microservice writes its readiness status to a shared database entry, and the synchronizer waits until all microservices indicate readiness before proceeding with the simultaneous update, thus preventing downtime while maintaining update speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through the synchronizer process that continuously monitors the shared database for readiness-to-proceed entries from all microservices. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when all microservices are ready and coordinate the update timing accordingly, ensuring both high availability and efficient updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If microservices are synchronized to update simultaneously, then application availability is maintained, but coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication availabilityVSAvoidcoordination system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronizer process acts as an intermediary between microservices and the update mechanism. It monitors readiness-to-proceed entries in a shared database and coordinates the simultaneous update by setting a time-at-which-to-proceed value, simplifying the coordination complexity while maintaining application availability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The synchronization logic is extracted into a separate synchronizer process that operates independently from the individual microservices. This extraction reduces the complexity within each microservice by centralizing the coordination function in a dedicated component that monitors and manages the synchronized update process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12524272B2Synchronizing computing resources to proceed with a task

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

An example embodiment may include one or more of writing, by a computing resource, an entry to a database, the entry comprising an identifier of the computing resource, an identifier of a cluster with which the computing resource is associated, and a count of computing resources associated with that cluster, monitoring the entry, detecting, based on the monitoring, that the entry includes a time-at-which-to-proceed value, and proceeding with a first task based on the time-at-which-to-proceed.