Stateless Virtual Machine Middleware Decoupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stateless virtual machines in cloud computing environments face challenges in balancing efficiency and personalized configurations, particularly in application middleware scenarios, where middleware configurations are often mismatched, leading to difficulties in application startup and increased complexity in managing virtual machines.

Innovation Solution

A stateless virtual machine design where the middleware core is stored in the OS image file and the middleware configuration is stored in the application data image file, with an association mechanism to link the two, allowing for decoupled storage and flexible configuration management, enabling self-starting applications and reduced reinstallation needs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the application middleware is entirely stored in the OS image file, then a uniform template image can be produced, but the middleware configurations are personalized and differentiated for different applications, causing mismatch when combining with other OS image files

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemplate image productionVSAvoidmiddleware configuration compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The application middleware is segmented into two independent parts: the middleware core (stored in the OS image file) and the middleware configuration (stored in the application data image file). This segmentation allows the OS image to maintain a uniform template structure while enabling application-specific configurations to be independently managed and combined with different OS images without mismatch issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the application middleware is entirely stored in the application data image file, then configuration personalization is achieved, but the virtual machine cannot locate the application middleware after restart, preventing automatic startup

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration personalizationVSAvoidautomatic startup
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

An association mechanism acts as an intermediary between the middleware core in the OS image file and the middleware configuration in the application data image file. This intermediary enables the system to locate and associate the personalized configuration with the correct middleware core after restart, thereby achieving both configuration personalization and automatic startup capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the OS image file and application data image file are completely decoupled, then flexibility is improved, but there is no mechanism to associate the middleware core with the corresponding middleware configuration

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidmiddleware association
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

An association mechanism provides feedback linkage between the middleware core and middleware configuration. This feedback mechanism ensures that even though the OS image file and application data image file are completely decoupled for maximum flexibility, the system can still correctly associate the middleware core with its corresponding configuration through the association information stored and retrieved by the mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2996038B1Stateless virtual machine in cloud computing environment and application thereof
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 CHINA UNIONPAY
  • EP2996038B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2996038B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2996038B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention provides a stateless virtual machine in a cloud computing environment as well as an application thereof, and pertains to the technical field of cloud computing. The stateless virtual machine is mapped into a storage device of a computer in the form of file and specifically comprises: an application data image file for storing an application; an operating system (OS) image file for storing an operating system; and an application middleware corresponding to the application; wherein a middleware core of the application middleware is placed in the OS image file, a middleware configuration of the application middleware is placed in the application data image file, and the middleware core and the middleware configuration are associated so as to realize that the middleware core specifies a corresponding middleware configuration. The virtual machine can realize a stateless condition even for an application in an application middleware environment, the flexibility is good, and the configuration manageability is strong.