Virtual Computer Snapshot and External Device Log Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current virtual computer systems fail to reproduce the state of an external device and an application program at the time of failure, as they do not store log information of the external device immediately after the failure, leading to loss of critical data and inability to accurately reproduce the failure state.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an external event storing unit within the virtual computer system or the external device to store log information of the external device along with a snap shot of the application program, allowing for the creation and restoration of the failure state without separately acquiring failure information from the external device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a snap shot of the application program is stored at the time of failure, then the state of the application program can be reproduced, but the state of the external device cannot be reproduced because log information of the external device is not stored

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure state reproduction accuracyVSAvoidexternal device log information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the storage of application program snap shots and external device log information into a unified storage mechanism. The external event storing unit stores log information of the external device in association with the snap shot of the application program, creating an integrated failure state representation that includes both the virtual computer state and the external device state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by storing the external device log information at the exact moment of failure occurrence, before any subsequent operations can alter or lose this critical data. The external event storing unit captures and preserves the log information immediately when the failure occurs, ensuring that the original failure state is preserved for accurate reproduction and analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the external device continues to perform processing after failure occurrence, then processing can be maintained, but log information at the time of failure is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing continuityVSAvoidfailure moment log information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by capturing and storing the external device log information immediately at the moment of failure, before the device continues its processing. This ensures that the log information representing the exact failure state is preserved while allowing the device to maintain processing continuity for productivity purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the external device log information at the moment of failure and stores it in the external event storing unit. This copy preserves the failure state data while the original device continues its processing operations, allowing both information preservation and processing continuity to coexist.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If log information of the external device is stored in association with the snap shot, then failure state reproduction is enabled, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure state reproduction accuracyVSAvoidstorage and management structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an external event storing unit as an intermediary component that bridges the application program and the external device. This mediator stores log information of the external device in association with the snap shot of the application program, enabling integrated failure state reproduction while managing the complexity through a dedicated intermediate storage structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3136240B1Virtual computer system, method and program
Publication Date: 2021.01.20 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP
  • EP3136240B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3136240B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3136240B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A virtual computer system includes an external event acquisition controller, an external event storing unit, and a snap shot creating unit. The external event acquisition controller performs control for acquiring an event regarding an external device provided outside a virtual computer which mounts a guest operating system in which an application program is installed. The external event storing unit stores the external event acquired by the external event acquisition controller. The snap shot creating unit creates a snap shot of the guest operating system including the application program after the external event is stored in the external event storing unit.