Semi-Declarative Infrastructure Deployment with Configuration Reconciliation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing SaaS application management techniques face inefficiencies in managing software instances due to the complexity of scripted and declarative paradigms, leading to manual intervention and potential breakages during instance creation or updates, and inability to handle real-world configuration changes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A semi-declarative approach is introduced, where a software instance definition object is built, updated, and then deleted after creating an updated instance, incorporating configuration items, attributes, and linkages, with automated testing and validation before deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional scripted models are used to build software instances, then users can generate and execute scripts to create instances, but the number of scripts increases with the number of parameters and manual intervention is required to fix problems and rerun the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the instance creation process into distinct phases: definition phase where parameters are declared, validation phase where constraints are checked, and execution phase where the instance is created. This segmentation allows each phase to be handled independently, reducing the complexity of the overall scripting process while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by validating all parameters and constraints before instance creation. The system checks parameter validity, resolves dependencies, and prepares the execution environment in advance, eliminating the need for manual intervention and rerunning during the actual creation process.
2Productivity
If traditional declarative models are used to build software instances, then users can copy and modify definition files, but configuration items that change outside the declarative file cause the process to break and revert changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the state of configuration items both inside and outside the declarative files. When changes occur externally, the system detects them, validates their compatibility, and automatically updates the declarative files to maintain consistency, preventing process breakages and ensuring reliable configuration management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting and reconciling configuration changes without requiring user intervention. The declarative files are automatically updated to reflect external changes, and the system self-validates the consistency of the entire configuration set, ensuring productivity is maintained while reliability is improved.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual modification of definition files is required for each instance build, then users can customize instances, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic parameter resolution that automatically determines parameter values based on the current system state, instance type, and configuration context. This dynamic approach maintains full customization capability while eliminating the need for manual file modification, as the system adaptively generates appropriate instance configurations based on declared parameters and current state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the user's high-level parameter declarations and the actual instance creation process. This intermediary automatically resolves parameter values, handles dependency resolution, and generates the necessary configuration files, providing full customization while reducing the time required from minutes to seconds.
4Reliability
If the scripting process breaks partway through instance generation, then users must manually identify and fix problems, but this increases the time and complexity of the overall process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs all necessary validations, dependency resolutions, and consistency checks before the instance creation process begins. By completing these preliminary actions upfront, the system ensures that the execution phase can proceed without interruptions, eliminating the need for manual problem identification and fixing while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service error prevention by automatically detecting potential issues before they cause process breakages. The validation framework self-corrects configuration errors, resolves dependency conflicts, and ensures parameter consistency, making the creation process both reliable and easy to operate without requiring user intervention for recovery.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system includes a processor and a memory device. The computer system is configured to execute a function that builds a software instance definition object. The software instance definition object includes one or more configuration items, attributes, permissions, and linkages to other objects, which define a software instance. The computer system temporarily stores the software instance definition object in the memory device. The computer system updates at least one of the configuration items, attributes, permissions, and linkages to other objects of the stored software instance definition object, thereby creating an updated software instance definition object. A fix command is then executed to update the software instance based on the updated software instance definition object, thereby creating an updated software instance. After creating the updated software instance, the software instance definition object is deleted from the memory device.