Post-Deployment Server Configuration Across Reboots

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing configuration management tools, such as SCCM and Chef, are ineffective in immutable infrastructure environments like public or private clouds, where continuous improvement and delivery are required, making it difficult to achieve repeatable, consistent, and automated server configuration post-deployment.

Innovation Solution

An orchestrated post-deployment configuration service utilizing script orchestration, logging, and retry logic ensures sequenced execution of configuration scripts across server reboots, allowing for incremental configuration changes in cloud-based environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If traditional configuration management tools (SCCM, Chef) are used in immutable infrastructure environments, then configuration management capability is provided, but the system cannot achieve continuous delivery and automated configuration in cloud-based environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated configurationVSAvoidcompatibility with immutable infrastructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical configuration management approaches (SCCM, Chef agents installed on servers) with a cloud-native service architecture that executes configuration scripts through cloud provider APIs. This substitution enables automated configuration in immutable infrastructure environments where servers are stateless and ephemeral.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The configuration management service is designed as a universal platform that works across multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and supports various configuration scenarios (initial deployment, updates, troubleshooting). This multi-functionality allows the same service to adapt to different immutable infrastructure environments without requiring provider-specific tools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If servers are rebooted during configuration changes in immutable infrastructure, then configuration updates can be applied, but configuration consistency and repeatability become difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration update speedVSAvoidconfiguration consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The service implements feedback mechanisms that monitor configuration state, track reboot history, and verify configuration application after restarts. This feedback loop ensures that configuration changes are consistently applied across reboots and maintains repeatability by detecting and correcting drift from the desired state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing the desired configuration state before changes are applied, and by preparing configuration scripts in advance. This ensures that when servers are rebooted, the configuration can be reliably re-applied and consistency is maintained through predetermined configuration templates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If a single team manages all configuration changes in traditional environments, then centralized control is achieved, but velocity and release frequency are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecentralized configuration controlVSAvoidrelease velocity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments configuration management into independent, service-oriented functions that can be executed by multiple teams simultaneously. Each team can manage specific configuration aspects through the cloud service API, enabling parallel work on different servers or configuration tasks without requiring centralized coordination for every change.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides dynamic configuration management where teams can deploy, update, and troubleshoot configurations at any time without fixed schedules. The cloud-based service enables continuous delivery pipelines that automatically provision and configure servers on-demand, increasing release velocity while maintaining operational simplicity through API-driven control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12547449B2Dynamic post-deployment server configuration

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

Server instantiation or deployment with at least an orchestrated post-deployment configuration service utilizing an exemplary framework providing script orchestration, logging, retry logic and environment-specific infrastructure and service configurations. At least one repository may store configuration scripts (or their equivalent), including first scripts associated with, e.g., a multi-tenant system, vendor, database provider, controller, etc., and second scripts associated with, e.g., a tenant, a database client, customer, etc. After instantiating or installing a server, it may be configured with orchestrated execution to ensure successful first server configuration, and then further configured with orchestrated execution of second scripts to ensure successful subsequent server configuration. Orchestration includes retry logic, logging, and reboot support to repeat or continue script execution after reboot, and the number of scripts series is arbitrary, e.g., there may first, second, third, etc. to orchestrate configuring or deploying a server as desired.