Network Connector Appliance for Cross-Platform Cloud Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enabling communication between applications operating on different cloud computing platforms poses challenges due to differences in services and infrastructure between vendors, leading to difficulties in interoperability and data exchange.
Innovation Solution
A network connector appliance is deployed in each cloud environment, pre-configured with instructions to form a secure communications channel using internetworking components like the Internet, allowing traffic to be routed between networks through a central hub, enabling bi-directional communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If applications operate on different cloud computing platforms from different vendors, then service diversity and vendor choice are improved, but communication interoperability and data exchange capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a message broker as an intermediary component that mediates communication between applications on different cloud platforms. The message broker receives messages from applications on one platform, processes them according to routing rules, and forwards them to appropriate applications on other platforms, thereby enabling interoperability without requiring direct integration between different vendor platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The message broker is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple types of messages, support various communication protocols, and interface with different cloud platform APIs simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows a single broker to serve as a universal communication hub across heterogeneous cloud environments, resolving the interoperability issue while maintaining vendor diversity.
2Ease of operation
If direct communication between different cloud platforms is attempted, then communication simplicity is improved, but compatibility issues and integration complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the message broker as an intermediary layer between different cloud platforms, the patent simplifies the communication model for applications while absorbing the integration complexity into the broker itself. Applications only need to communicate with the broker using standardized interfaces, rather than implementing complex point-to-point integrations with multiple vendor-specific platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication architecture is segmented into distinct layers: application layer, message broker layer, and platform layer. This segmentation isolates the complexity of platform-specific integrations to the broker layer, allowing applications to maintain simplicity while the broker handles the complex adaptation and translation between different vendor platforms.
3Reliability
If vendor-specific services are used exclusively, then service optimization for each platform is improved, but cross-platform data exchange and interoperability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The message broker acts as an intermediary that preserves vendor-specific service optimizations by maintaining platform-specific adapters and protocols, while simultaneously enabling cross-platform interoperability through its routing and message transformation capabilities. Each platform can retain its optimized service implementations, and the broker translates between them as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs local quality by allowing each cloud platform to maintain its own service characteristics and optimizations locally, while the message broker provides the adaptive translation layer. This means that service quality is optimized locally at each vendor platform, while the broker ensures versatility and interoperability across platforms through its routing and adaptation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A provider may receive a request to enable communications between applications running on network-computing platforms operated by different providers. A virtual machine image comprising instructions for a network connector appliance may be retrieved, transmitted, and installed on a virtual machine host in the third-party network. The virtual machine image may be selected based on its containing instructions needed to operate within the third-party network. When the instructions are executed, messages transmitted on the third-party network may be transmitted to an endpoint in the central network. Messages received at the endpoint may be forwarded to other network connector appliances.