Virtual Appliance Differential Patching in Unified Environment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods require launching multiple software virtual appliances in separate virtual environments, which leads to overhead and inefficiencies, especially when applications need to communicate with each other, as each environment operates independently, reducing communication speed and increasing complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for launching multiple software virtual appliances within a single virtual environment by detecting a compatible base image, calculating differences between the base image and each virtual appliance, creating a patch file, and applying it to the base image to form a final appliance, allowing for efficient communication and operation within a unified environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple virtual appliances are launched in separate virtual environments, then crash isolation is improved, but communication speed and system overhead deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrash isolationVSAvoidcommunication speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the virtual appliance images into base images and differentials, allowing selective loading and isolation of individual appliance components while sharing the common base environment. This enables crash isolation at the appliance level while maintaining a shared underlying virtual environment for efficient communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple virtual appliances are merged into a single virtual environment by combining their differential updates with a shared base image. This allows the appliances to coexist in one environment, improving communication speed and reducing overhead while maintaining functional isolation through the differential patching mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple separate virtual environments are created for each virtual appliance, then isolation and stability are improved, but device complexity and resource overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveisolation and stabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of managing multiple virtual environments

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple virtual appliance deployments into a single virtual environment by using differential patching. Instead of managing separate environments, the system combines all appliances in one environment while applying individual differentials to maintain isolation and stability, thereby reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single virtual environment is designed to universally host multiple virtual appliances simultaneously. The environment provides multi-functional support for different appliances through the differential patching mechanism, eliminating the need for separate dedicated environments and reducing management complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If virtual appliances are merged into a single environment, then communication efficiency is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and resolving conflicts between appliances increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoiddifficulty of detecting and resolving conflicts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary conflict detection and resolution during the differential patching phase before the virtual appliances are activated. By analyzing and resolving potential conflicts in advance when applying differentials to the base image, the system enables smooth coexistence of appliances in a shared environment without runtime conflicts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The differential patching mechanism acts as an intermediary between conflicting virtual appliance requirements. It mediates resource and configuration conflicts by selectively applying compatible changes from each appliance's differential while filtering out conflicts, allowing efficient merged operation without direct conflict between appliances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12124842B1Systems and methods for launching multiple software virtual appliances inside a single virtual environment

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 VIRTUOZZO INT GMBH

AI summary

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for launching multiple software virtual appliances inside a single virtual environment. In one aspect, a method includes detecting a base image on which a plurality of virtual appliances are based, wherein each of the plurality of virtual appliances is configured to be launched in a separate virtual environment. The method includes preparing a virtual environment that is compatible with the base image. For each respective virtual appliance in the plurality of virtual appliances, the method includes calculating a differential between the base image and the respective virtual appliance, and including the differential in a patch file. The method includes applying the patch file to the base image to form a final appliance, and launching the final appliance in the virtual environment.