Uniform API for Parameter Validation and Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex workflows involving multiple systems, such as provisioning processes for network services, face failures due to inconsistent information and varying interfaces, leading to significant resource wastage and time loss from incomplete operations and data verification.
Innovation Solution
A uniform application program interface (API) is introduced that validates parameters for operations across different systems, using source information to determine appropriate validation and recovery rules, allowing for immediate validation and correction of parameters without requiring changes to production software or systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a uniform API is introduced to validate parameters across multiple systems, then validation efficiency and workflow reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a uniform API as an intermediary layer between multiple source devices and target devices. This API validates parameters centrally before operations are executed, ensuring workflow reliability without requiring changes to individual source or target devices. The API acts as a mediator that handles validation logic, preventing workflow failures due to invalid parameters while maintaining system independence.
2Productivity
If parameter validation is performed using a uniform API, then resource wastage and time loss are reduced, but the complexity of parameter conversion and rule selection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The uniform API performs parameter validation as a preliminary action before the actual workflow operations are executed. By validating parameters upfront and providing feedback on validity, the system prevents wasted execution of operations with invalid parameters, thereby improving productivity. The conversion to API parameters and validation rule application occur in advance, avoiding rework and resource wastage.
3Measurement precision
If validation rules are executed on converted API parameters, then measurement precision and validation accuracy are improved, but the time required for parameter conversion and validation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms source device parameters into standardized API parameters through conversion, enabling consistent validation across different device types. This parameter change process ensures that validation rules can be applied uniformly with high precision. The conversion establishes a common parameter space that improves validation accuracy while allowing for efficient rule execution through standardized formats.
4Reliability
If the uniform API validates parameters before operations, then workflow reliability is improved, but the complexity of information passing and coordination among systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The uniform API provides universal validation functionality that serves multiple source devices and target devices with different parameter formats and requirements. This multi-functional approach improves workflow reliability by ensuring consistent validation across the entire system while reducing the need for device-specific validation logic. The API's universal interface simplifies coordination by providing a single point of validation for all operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive, from a source device, a request for a target device to perform an operation. The request includes parameters, source information that identifies the source device, and operation information that identifies an operation. The request invokes an API that selects, based on the source information and the operation information, validation rules. The API executes the validation rules to determine whether the parameters are valid for the operation. The API may determine, from executing the validation rules, that an issue is preventing the parameters from being valid for the operation. The API may select, based on the source information and the operation information, a recovery rule from among a plurality of recovery rules. The API may execute the recovery rule to remedy the issue and provide a response message indicating a result of executing the recovery rule.