Virtualized Inventory Snapshot and Revert via Editable Code

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for migrating or reconstructing a virtualized computer inventory are tedious and time-consuming, as they require initializing all hosts in a disconnected state and do not allow for partial migration or reconstruction, limiting administrators' ability to manage and replicate inventory efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A method is developed to generate a snapshot of a virtualized computer system's inventory, including relationships and configuration settings, and produce user-editable code for reconstructing the inventory entirely or partially, enabling administrators to customize and efficiently migrate or replicate the inventory across different environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional methods are used to migrate or reconstruct inventory by archiving and replicating the inventory database, then the inventory can be replicated in a different environment, but all hosts must be explicitly added one by one which is tedious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory replication speedVSAvoidtime to add hosts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-generating a script file that contains all the necessary information about hosts, virtual machines, and their relationships before migration. This script is created in advance using the snapshot functionality, which captures the entire inventory state and automatically generates the restoration script, eliminating the need for manual host addition during the migration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies self-service by automatically generating the restoration script from the snapshot data without requiring manual intervention. The script file is created autonomously containing all host configurations, virtual machine definitions, and relationship mappings, allowing the system to restore itself without administrator intervention for each individual host.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional methods are used to reconstruct inventory from archived database, then the complete inventory can be replicated, but partial migration or reconstruction of a sub-portion of the inventory is not permitted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of migration scopeVSAvoidinventory management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by enabling the snapshot functionality to capture only specific portions of the inventory rather than requiring the entire inventory to be snapshotted. Administrators can select specific hosts, virtual machines, or resource pools to include in the snapshot, allowing partial migration while maintaining manageable complexity through targeted selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by allowing administrators to perform migration on a subset of the inventory rather than requiring complete inventory replication. The snapshot and restoration script can be generated for only the necessary portions of the inventory, enabling selective migration of specific hosts, virtual machines, or resource pools without migrating the entire inventory.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the inventory database is archived and replicated, then the inventory can be restored in a different environment, but hosts are initialized in a disconnected state and must be explicitly added

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory restoration accuracyVSAvoidease of host addition

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing the manual mechanical process of adding each host individually with an automated script-based system. The restoration script automatically provisions hosts, creates virtual machines, and establishes relationships based on the snapshot data, substituting manual administrative actions with automated code execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies copying by creating a complete replica of the inventory state through the snapshot mechanism. The snapshot captures all host configurations, virtual machine definitions, and relationship mappings, then copies this state to the target environment through the generated script, ensuring accurate replication without manual reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8909602B2Programmatic snapshot and revert of virtualized data center inventory

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 VMWARE INC

AI summary

A snapshot of an inventory of a virtualized computer system is produced and a user-editable code is generated therefrom, so that the inventory can be reconstructed entirely or partially. The snapshot includes identifying data for items in the virtualized computer system, and relationship data that indicate hierarchical and non-hierarchical relationships between the items. The items in the inventory of the virtualized computer system include virtual machines, servers on which the virtual machines are running, one or more data centers in which the servers reside, and logical containers such as folders for virtual machines, resource pools that each contain one or more virtual machines, and server clusters that each contain one or more servers.