Model-Driven Cloud Infrastructure Provisioning With Environment-as-Code
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infrastructure-as-code (IaC) tools require developers to gain expertise in multiple domains, increasing cognitive load and making it challenging to manage cloud infrastructure effectively.
Innovation Solution
A model-driven approach using an environment-as-code (EaC) service that simplifies infrastructure management by allowing developers to define and manage public cloud environments through a streamlined process, reducing the number of steps required to provision infrastructure and enabling consistent, repeatable, and efficient provisioning of computing resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If existing IaC tools are used to manage cloud infrastructure, then infrastructure provisioning can be automated through code, but developers must gain expertise in multiple domains (networking, storage, compute, security) which significantly increases cognitive load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the EaC service and model file) between the developer and the complex IaC tools. Instead of directly managing complex infrastructure configurations, developers work with simplified high-level models that automatically translate into the necessary infrastructure code, thereby reducing cognitive load while maintaining automation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the infrastructure management process into distinct layers: a high-level abstraction layer (model file with environment definitions) and an implementation layer (IaC configurations). This segmentation allows developers to work at the simplified high-level layer while the system handles the complexity of the implementation layer automatically
2Adaptability or versatility
If developers use traditional infrastructure management approaches, then they can manage cloud resources, but the process requires significant expertise in multiple technical domains making it challenging to manage effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies or abstractions of the actual infrastructure configurations in the model file. These high-level models capture the essential characteristics of environments without requiring detailed knowledge of underlying infrastructure components, making infrastructure management accessible to developers with less expertise
3Productivity
If comprehensive infrastructure control is implemented through existing tools, then all infrastructure aspects can be managed, but the complexity of managing networking, storage, compute, and security domains increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple infrastructure management concerns (environment definitions, resource provisioning, configuration management) into a unified model file approach. This consolidation allows comprehensive infrastructure control through a single coherent interface rather than requiring separate management of multiple complex domains
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining a model file and a context file associated with an environment-as-code (EaC) service, committing the model file and the context file utilizing a source control software service, and in response to the committing, building a set of instructions as part of a pipeline associated with the EaC service for utilizing a continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) software application. Further embodiments may include assembling infrastructure-as-code (IaC) software from a curated library of software patterns based on the model file and the EaC service, configuring a group of workspaces for a IaC provider software application based on the set of instructions as part of the pipeline, and providing provisioning instructions to a cloud provider server to provision computing resources based on the group of workspaces. Other embodiments are disclosed.