Serverless Function Execution via Combinatorial URLs and Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deployment systems for serverless functions are complex and require managing resources such as containers, servers, or machines, which can be inefficient and prone to security issues.
Innovation Solution
A serverless function execution system that enables fast, efficient, and flexible deployment and execution of serverless functions as GraphQL or RESTful APIs, using combinatorial URLs to combine code and computation resources, with features like function isolation, automatic scaling, and built-in security measures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If service providers sell containers as a service, then customers can access computing resources without managing physical hardware, but customers still need to manage containers and server operations which increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the burden of infrastructure management from the customer by having the service provider assume responsibility for managing the computing resources, containers, and server operations. The customer only needs to provide the function code, while the provider handles deployment, execution, and resource management through automated systems including combinatorial URL generation and function isolation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automated deployment mechanisms where the service provider's system automatically manages the entire lifecycle of serverless functions. The combinatorial URL system and automated container management enable the infrastructure to serve itself without requiring customer intervention in resource management tasks.
2Reliability
If customers manage their own servers and containers, then they have full control over their infrastructure, but they face security risks and operational overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the execution environment into isolated containers for each serverless function. This segmentation ensures that each function runs in its own secure sandbox, preventing security vulnerabilities in one function from affecting others. The service provider manages these segmented environments, maintaining security while reducing operational risks for customers.
Solution Approach 2:
The service provider acts as an intermediary between the customer's function code and the underlying infrastructure. This intermediary layer provides security by validating, isolating, and managing function executions, thereby reducing direct exposure to security risks while maintaining system stability and reliability.
3Productivity
If traditional server deployment is used, then full control over the execution environment is available, but deployment is time-consuming and requires resource management
Solution Approach 1:
The service provider performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring and maintaining a pool of ready-to-use computing resources and container templates. When a customer deploys a serverless function, the system can quickly allocate pre-prepared resources rather than provisioning from scratch, significantly reducing deployment time while maintaining full environmental control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses universal container templates and standardized execution environments that can be rapidly instantiated for different functions. This multi-functional approach allows the same infrastructure to serve multiple purposes and different customer needs, enabling fast deployment without requiring custom resource setup for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A serverless function execution system enables fast, efficient and flexible deployment and execution of serverless functions. Functions in the system are stored as code at a location accessible by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or unique hostname. A combinatorial URL, the combination of the two locations, is utilized to combine specific code with a specific computation system to execute that code along with optional parameters. The system utilizes function isolation to prevent an executing function from being able to directly access or modify unauthorized data or processes external to the isolation unit.