Virtual IP Failover for Stable Container Pod Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cloud-based container environments, such as Kubernetes, face limitations in providing reliable and consistent IP addresses, uniform ingress and egress communication paths, and limited failover capabilities for high-availability services, particularly in mobile communications networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a virtual IP (VIP) address system within a container pod environment, using virtual network interface controllers (Vnics) to enable direct external access and consistent IP addressing, with automated management by custom operators to handle pod restarts and failures, ensuring high availability and uniform communication paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional Kubernetes container environments are used, then cloud-based deployment and scaling are enabled, but reliable and consistent IP addresses cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual IP address as an intermediary between external networks and container pods. The virtual IP serves as a stable endpoint that abstracts away the dynamic nature of container networking, allowing external systems to communicate with pods using consistent addresses while the underlying pod IPs can change during restarts or rescheduling events.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional Kubernetes ingress paths are used, then cloud-based deployment is enabled, but uniform ingress and egress communication paths cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the networking complexity from the pod level and consolidates it at the virtual IP level. By assigning a single virtual IP to each pod and managing routing at this abstracted level, the system achieves uniform communication paths without requiring complex per-pod network configurations or multiple ingress/egress pathways.
3Reliability
If traditional Kubernetes failover mechanisms are used, then basic service continuity is enabled, but high-availability uninterrupted service cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary failover preparation by maintaining a standby pod that is pre-configured with the virtual IP address. When the active pod fails, the standby pod can immediately assume the virtual IP and continue servicing requests without interruption, achieving seamless failover. This pre-positioning of backup resources eliminates the typical failover delay associated with IP reassignment and service reconfiguration.
4Reliability
If hardware-based SBC implementations are used, then reliable IP communication is achieved, but scalability and ease of maintenance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces hardware-based SBC implementations with a software-defined networking approach using virtual IPs and container pods. This substitution maintains the reliability of IP communication while enabling scalable deployment across cloud infrastructure. The virtual IP mechanism provides the same communication stability as hardware solutions but with the flexibility and scalability inherent in software-based systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for implementing a virtual IP for a container pod. In certain embodiments, a method may comprise operating a cloud based network system in a containerized software environment to assign a virtual internet protocol (VIP) address to an application pod, the VIP being directly reachable from a network external to the containerized software environment. The method may include assigning a first VIP address to route traffic to a first fixed IP address assigned to a first application pod, and in response to the first application pod becoming unavailable, switching a second application pod having a second fixed IP address from a standby role to the active role, and assigning the first VIP address to route traffic to the second fixed IP address, enabling continued access to a service offered by the first application pod and the second application pod through the first VIP address.