Self-Evolving Microservices via Dynamic Rule Replacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

In microservices environments, managing interrelated services is challenging due to compatibility issues, load balancing problems, and difficulty in troubleshooting, which leads to inefficiencies and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

The system employs self-evolving microservices that can adapt by replacing rules, using stem services that can morph into other microservices, and a directory service for load management and routing, enabling dynamic replication and resource optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If microservices are used to modularize the system, then adaptability and service independence are improved, but device complexity and interface management become worse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice independenceVSAvoidinterface management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a service registry as an intermediary component that manages microservice interfaces and routing. The service registry stores interface definitions and provides automatic routing between services, eliminating the need for manual interface management and reducing the complexity of managing N-Squared interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic configuration parameters that allow services to adapt their behavior and interfaces at runtime. Configuration files and environment variables enable services to modify their interface contracts without code changes, reducing the complexity of interface synchronization across multiple services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If microservices evolve on different schedules, then adaptability is improved, but compatibility and synchronization become worse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevolution flexibilityVSAvoidcompatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic versioning and configuration that allows microservices to evolve independently while maintaining compatibility. Services can update their interfaces and behavior at different schedules, and the service registry dynamically routes requests to appropriate versions, ensuring backward compatibility and preventing breakage of downstream services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs pre-defined interface contracts and schemas that establish compatibility rules before services are deployed. These preliminary interface definitions ensure that when services evolve, they maintain adherence to agreed-upon contracts, preventing compatibility issues and synchronization problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If traditional end-to-end testing is used for each microservice interface, then reliability is improved, but productivity and operational cost become worse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface testingVSAvoiddeployment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-testing capabilities where microservices automatically validate their interfaces and interactions with other services through the service registry. Instead of manual end-to-end testing, services perform self-validation against defined contracts and schemas, significantly reducing testing overhead and improving deployment efficiency while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If the number of microservices increases, then adaptability and functionality are improved, but troubleshooting and problem identification become worse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice functionalityVSAvoidtroubleshooting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements comprehensive logging and monitoring feedback mechanisms that track service interactions, requests, and errors through the service registry. Each microservice generates structured logs that are aggregated and correlated, enabling efficient troubleshooting by providing visibility into the flow of requests across multiple services and quickly identifying the source of problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11354152B2Self-evolving microservices

Publication Date: 2022.06.07 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatuses may provide for managing or operating self-evolving microservices. A method, system, computer readable storage medium, or apparatus may provide for receiving a message associated with a service, wherein the message is for a first microservice that contributes to the implementation of the service, wherein the first microservice comprises a plurality of rules; and subsequent to receiving the message, creating an evolved first microservice using a second rule of a plurality of rules of a second microservice.