Centralized Virtual Sandbox Reduces Network Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software development methodologies require significant bandwidth and computing resources due to the need to transfer and process code between remote and local environments, especially as the number of users increases, leading to inefficiencies in code testing and integration.

Innovation Solution

A centralized virtual sandbox system that allows remote clients to access and modify codebases within a centralized environment, reducing network bandwidth usage and processing requirements by maintaining code modifications locally within the data center, and enabling efficient scalability through cloud-based infrastructure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If developers use local sandboxes to test code modifications, then code testing functionality is provided, but significant network bandwidth and computing resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode testing functionalityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cloud-based sandbox service as an intermediary between developers and code repositories. Instead of transferring code to local machines and back, developers interact with a centralized sandbox environment hosted on cloud infrastructure. This intermediary service provides the sandboxing functionality while eliminating the need for continuous code transfers over the network, thus resolving the contradiction between providing testing functionality and minimizing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates virtual copies of codebases and sandbox environments in the cloud rather than relying on physical copies on developer machines. These virtual copies are maintained centrally and can be accessed by multiple developers simultaneously, eliminating the need for each developer to maintain their own local code copies and reducing overall network bandwidth requirements for code synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If developers use local sandboxes for code modifications, then code testing is enabled, but significant processing resources are required at local and remote environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode modification capabilityVSAvoidprocessing resources consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the sandboxing functionality with centralized cloud infrastructure, combining code storage, execution environment, and testing capabilities in a single centralized platform. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate local processing resources and remote processing steps, as all code modifications and testing operations are performed within the unified cloud sandbox environment, thereby reducing total processing resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud-based sandbox service acts as an intermediary that handles all processing operations related to code modifications. Instead of requiring significant processing power at both local and remote ends, the intermediary service performs all necessary processing centrally, reducing the processing resource burden on individual developer machines while maintaining full code modification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If more users access and modify code simultaneously, then development productivity increases, but network bandwidth consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment productivityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal cloud-based sandbox environment that serves multiple developers simultaneously. Instead of each developer requiring their own dedicated sandbox and code repository access, the system provides a shared multi-user sandbox environment where multiple users can access and modify code at the same time. This multi-functional approach maintains high development productivity while significantly reducing overall network bandwidth consumption compared to individual local sandbox setups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10872032B1Systems and methods for software development using sandbox views

Publication Date: 2020.12.22 UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)

AI summary

The current embodiments relate to systems and methods for providing a virtual sandbox. In one embodiment, an electronic request is received at a centralized virtual sandbox hosting service. The electronic request requests a virtual sandbox session. In response to the received request, a particular project, a particular platform, and/or a particular environment is determined. Based upon the particular project, the particular platform, and/or the particular environment a particular codebase from a set of codebases stored at a code store is selected. At the centralized virtual sandbox hosting service, a virtual sandbox is generated, the virtual sandbox provides an integrated development environment for the particular codebase. A virtual sandbox view is then provided at the remote client to enable a user of the remote client computer to see and perform interactions with the integrated development environment at the centralized virtual sandbox hosting service, via the remote client computer.