Utility Computing Platform Customer Provisioning Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current utility computing platforms require manual intervention by system administrators for provisioning and managing customer virtual data centers, leading to delays and inefficiencies in resource allocation and management.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that enables customers to provision and manage their own virtual servers through a web-based console, allowing precise control over processing, memory, and storage resources, with automated resource allocation and monitoring, including burst resource usage modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual provisioning by system administrators is used, then resource allocation accuracy is improved, but provisioning speed and productivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation accuracyVSAvoidprovisioning speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables customers to provision and manage their own virtual data centers through automated self-service interfaces. Customers can allocate resources, create virtual servers, and manage their environments without manual administrator intervention, thereby maintaining accurate resource allocation while dramatically improving provisioning speed and reducing wait times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of administrator intervention with an automated software-based system. The automated provisioning system uses software agents and control interfaces to allocate and manage resources programmatically, eliminating the need for manual administrative actions while preserving allocation accuracy through predefined policies and constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual administrator intervention is required, then resource management control is improved, but operational complexity and time consumption worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource management controlVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service capabilities that allow customers to autonomously manage their virtual data centers. The automated interfaces enable customers to perform provisioning, configuration, and management tasks independently, maintaining strong resource management control through policy enforcement while eliminating time-consuming manual administrator involvement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary configuration and validation of resource allocation parameters before actual provisioning occurs. By pre-defining resource constraints, policies, and validation rules, the system ensures proper resource management control is established in advance, allowing rapid execution without time-consuming manual review while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If fixed resource allocation is used, then resource utilization stability is improved, but adaptability to changing customer needs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to customer needs

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic resource allocation that automatically adjusts resource distribution based on real-time customer needs and system conditions. The automated provisioning system monitors resource utilization patterns and can dynamically allocate or reallocate resources without manual intervention, maintaining stability through controlled adjustments while improving adaptability to changing requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables flexible modification of resource allocation parameters through automated interfaces. Customers can request parameter changes (such as CPU, memory, storage allocations) which are processed automatically by the system, maintaining stable baseline configurations while allowing adaptive changes when needed through programmatically controlled parameter adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9479394B2System and method for customer provisioning in a utility computing platform

Publication Date: 2016.10.25 ATLASSIAN US INC

AI summary

A virtualization control system may receive a set of parameters; and provision a virtual environment. The provisioning may include provisioning a set of resources for the virtual environment. An amount of resources, associated with the set of resources, may be based on the received set of parameters. The virtualization control system may monitor resource usage of the virtual environment; detect that usage of at least one resource, of the provisioned set of resources, exceeds a particular usage threshold; and enable, based on the detecting, a burst usage mode for the virtual environment. The enabling may include provisioning an additional set of resources for the virtual environment. The additional set of resources may include a greater amount of resources than the amount of resources that are provisioned based on the received set of parameters.