Software Component Versioning via Dispatch and Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Developers and system administrators face challenges in maintaining version compatibility between software components, leading to unpredictable behavior and system failures due to mismatches in versions between client requests and newly deployed components, especially when the entity deploying the versions has no control over the instantiated versions.
Innovation Solution
A software component versioning system that maintains multiple versions of a software component, ensuring backwards compatibility of external interfaces, using dispatch techniques to determine the active version for each client session, and allowing for transparent version management, including strategies like early and late branch versioning to manage internal logic and storage changes without affecting interface behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If new versions of software components are deployed to improve functionality and fix bugs, then system capability is enhanced, but version compatibility is compromised leading to unpredictable behavior and system failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the software component system into multiple isolated version instances, each maintaining its own state and execution context. The container divides the deployment environment into separate versioned compartments, allowing concurrent execution of different versions without interference. This segmentation enables the system to enhance capability by deploying new versions while preserving reliability by isolating them from existing versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a version management intermediary layer that sits between the deployment system and the running components. This intermediary manages version registration, instantiation, and lifecycle control, acting as a mediator that coordinates version deployments and ensures compatibility. The dispatcher serves as another intermediary that routes requests to appropriate version instances, preventing direct conflicts between versions and maintaining system reliability during capability enhancement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the deploying entity has no control over instantiated versions, then deployment flexibility is improved, but version management becomes difficult leading to mismatches between client requests and deployed components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the version management system automatically handles version registration, instantiation, and coordination without requiring manual intervention from the deploying entity. The container autonomously manages the lifecycle of version instances, and the dispatcher automatically routes requests based on version compatibility. This self-service approach maintains deployment flexibility while simplifying version management operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes feedback loops where the version management system continuously monitors deployed instances and their compatibility status. The system receives feedback about running versions, client requests, and deployment status, then automatically adjusts version instantiation and routing decisions. This feedback mechanism ensures that even without direct control, the deploying entity can maintain version management effectiveness through automated monitoring and adaptation.
3Reliability
If multiple versions of software components are maintained to ensure backwards compatibility, then version compatibility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal container infrastructure that can host multiple version instances of different software components through a common management framework. The container provides multi-functional capabilities including version registration, instantiation, state management, and coordination, all through a single unified system. This universality allows the maintenance of multiple versions for backwards compatibility while avoiding the complexity of managing each version separately, as the container handles all versioned components through standardized mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
The deployment and management of differing versions of software components can be simplified. External interfaces of the component can remain constant in behavior while the internal logic, and possibly internal storage, can change between versions. Such a version management system can be transparent to the client programs, since interfaces can remain backwards compatible between component versions. This transparency can greatly reduce the risks of unpredictable behavior or system failure. A system can maintain each version of a software component, and can use a dispatch technique to determine and instantiate the currently active version whenever a client requests a service from the software component during a session. Old instances, possibly of other versions, can be maintained as long as required on the server. Such systems can apply to stateful and stateless components, using synchronous or asynchronous communications, and which may communicate over networks and may use web services type protocols. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.