Orchestrating Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cloud computing platforms require significant manual input and expertise to configure and deploy infrastructure, making it complex for users to take advantage of computing capabilities effectively.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of automated management tasks, such as provisioning virtual machines, linking them to desired systems, and reclaiming resources, through a system that includes an application director, cloud manager, and management agents to orchestrate infrastructure installation and management in a cloud computing environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If automated management tasks are implemented through application director, cloud manager, and management agents, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the cloud management functionality into distinct modular components: application director for task organization, cloud manager for orchestration, and management agents for execution. Each component has a specific responsibility, allowing the complex automation system to be managed through smaller, independent units that can be deployed and configured separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Management agents act as intermediaries between the centralized cloud manager and the distributed infrastructure components. The agents receive tasks from the cloud manager and execute them locally on target systems, bridging the gap between centralized control and distributed execution while simplifying the overall operation for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If manual configuration and deployment processes are used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring management agents on target systems and pre-defining task templates in the application director. This allows deployment processes to be automated and executed rapidly without requiring manual configuration during the actual deployment, significantly improving productivity while the initial setup complexity is managed through reuse of predefined configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables copying of management agents and task configurations across multiple target systems. Once a management agent is installed and configured on one system, it can be replicated to numerous other systems, and task templates can be copied and adapted for different deployment scenarios, improving productivity without requiring proportional increases in configuration effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Loss of time

If automated task orchestration is implemented, then loss of time is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloss of timeVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud manager maintains continuous operation by constantly monitoring the state of management agents and infrastructure components, and by continuously orchestrating tasks as they become available. This continuous automation eliminates idle time and manual intervention delays, ensuring that deployment processes proceed without interruption while the orchestration complexity is managed through persistent system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Management agents provide continuous feedback to the cloud manager about their status, the state of target systems, and task execution progress. This feedback mechanism enables the cloud manager to dynamically adjust task orchestration, allocate resources efficiently, and resolve issues automatically, reducing time loss through real-time visibility while managing complexity through standardized communication protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11182203B2Systems and methods to orchestrate infrastructure installation of a hybrid system
Publication Date: 2021.11.23 VMWARE INC
  • US11182203B2 patent drawing
  • US11182203B2 patent drawing
  • US11182203B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods and apparatus to orchestrate infrastructure installation of a hybrid system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first virtual appliance including a management endpoint. The first virtual appliance is to organize tasks to be executed to install a computing infrastructure. The example apparatus includes a first component server to execute tasks. The component server includes a management agent to communicate with the management endpoint to receive a task to be executed to install the computing infrastructure. The first virtual appliance is to associate a role with the first component server and to determine whether the first component server satisfies a prerequisite associated with the role. The first virtual appliance is to facilitate addressing an error when the first component server is determined not to satisfy the prerequisite.