Virtual Container Tracking via Event Database
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software asset management (SAM) tools are inadequate for detecting and tracking software licenses in cloud environments that use rapid API-driven provisioning, de-provisioning, and autoscaling, and they fail to handle containerization techniques effectively, leading to difficulties in identifying and managing licensable software components.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for detecting and tracking virtual containers by collecting data, associating containers with images, and building a container event database to track software usage, enabling the monitoring of software 'at rest' and 'in motion', and reporting licensing violations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional periodic scanning methods are used for software license management, then the scanning process is simple and does not require complex infrastructure, but the reconciliation takes weeks or months and cannot keep up with rapid cloud environment changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static periodic scanning to dynamic continuous monitoring. The SAM tool now operates in real-time, continuously detecting and tracking software containers as they are created, modified, or destroyed in the cloud environment, rather than relying on fixed periodic scans that cannot capture rapid changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary event-driven architecture where container engines and cloud service providers act as mediators. These intermediaries publish container events (creation, destruction, modification) to a subscription-based event system, enabling the SAM tool to receive real-time notifications without requiring complex polling or scanning infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If containerization techniques are used to improve software deployment flexibility, then software can be rapidly provisioned and scaled, but traditional SAM tools cannot detect and track licensable software components in containers
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the detection process by targeting specific container events (creation, destruction, modification) rather than attempting to scan entire container images or filesystems. This event-based segmentation allows the SAM tool to focus only on relevant licensing-related changes, making detection feasible despite containerization complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where container engines and cloud service providers publish events about container lifecycle changes, and the SAM tool subscribes to these events to receive real-time feedback about software deployment. This feedback loop enables continuous tracking of licensable components without requiring deep inspection of container internals.
3Adaptability or versatility
If images are created and recreated in many different ways to enable flexible container management, then container versatility is improved, but it becomes more difficult to identify future images that might run in an environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses container engines and cloud service providers as intermediaries that maintain and publish information about image creation and modification events. These intermediaries track image provenance and relationships, providing the SAM tool with reliable information about image origins and transformations without requiring the SAM tool to perform complex image analysis itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical scanning and analysis methods with an information-based event subscription system. Instead of actively scanning container images to identify their contents and relationships, the system subscribes to events that passively provide information about image creation, modification, and relationships, significantly reducing the difficulty of tracking images.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of techniques for detecting and tracking virtual containers are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes detecting a virtual container. The method further includes collecting virtual container data for the virtual container. The method also includes associating, by a processing device, the virtual container to at least one of a plurality of images. Additionally, the method includes building, by the processing device, a container event database based on the virtual container data and the association of the virtual container to the at least one of the plurality of images, so as to enable tracking of software in the plurality of images and in live virtual containers.