Virtual Appliance Construction Tool for Automated Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for constructing virtual appliances in cloud computing environments require users to have expertise in both software and virtualization, limiting the number of users who can create them due to the need to specify both functional and virtualization information.
Innovation Solution
A virtual appliance construction tool with a user interface that allows users to select functional features, which automatically includes necessary virtualization information from a knowledge base of configuration units, packaging these into a blueprint for generating the virtual appliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users are required to specify both functional information and virtualization information to construct a virtual appliance, then the virtual appliance can be properly configured and deployed, but the complexity of the construction process increases and limits the number of users who can create virtual appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual appliance construction process into two distinct parts: functional information selection (user-facing) and virtualization information retrieval (system-handled). The configuration units are divided into functional components that users can understand and virtualization components that are automatically managed, allowing users to focus only on functional requirements while the system handles technical virtualization details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces configuration units as intermediary objects that bridge functional requirements and virtualization specifications. These configuration units contain both functional information and associated virtualization information, serving as a mediator that automatically translates user functional selections into complete virtual appliance configurations without requiring users to directly handle virtualization complexity.
2Reliability
If users must have expertise in both software and virtualization to create virtual appliances, then properly configured virtual appliances can be generated, but the pool of capable users is greatly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically retrieving and associating virtualization information with user-selected functional features. The configuration unit repository and automated retrieval mechanism enable the system to configure itself based on user input, eliminating the need for users to possess virtualization expertise while ensuring correct virtual appliance generation.
Solution Approach 2:
Configuration units serve as intermediaries that encapsulate both functional and virtualization knowledge. Users interact only with the functional aspect through the user interface, while the intermediary configuration units automatically provide the corresponding virtualization information, making the system accessible to users with functional expertise alone.
3Ease of operation
If a comprehensive configuration system is implemented that automatically retrieves virtualization information from a knowledge base, then user expertise requirements are reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing virtualization information within configuration units in the knowledge base before users need it. Configuration units are prepared in advance with both functional and virtualization information linked, so when users select functional features, the corresponding virtualization information is already ready for automatic retrieval and integration, reducing runtime complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual appliance construction tool allows a user to select using a user interface functional information for a virtual appliance to generate a functional model of the virtual appliance. A knowledge base of configuration units is then queried to determine which configuration units are needed to satisfy the functional model. Note the configuration units include not only functional information, but virtualization information as well. The configuration units are then packaged into a virtual appliance blueprint, which is used to generate a certified virtual appliance. In this manner the user need not have extensive knowledge or training regarding virtualization because the virtualization information is selected automatically based on which configuration units provide the function specified by the user.