Virtual Server Configuration Manager Decouples Image Building
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual server services require substantial time and effort to deploy minor changes, as they often necessitate rebuilding virtual server images, which is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a base machine image with a configuration manager to customize virtual servers post-instantiation, allowing for network, system, and software modifications without requiring separate images for each instance, enabling decoupling of configuration from image building.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual server images are rebuilt to implement minor changes, then configuration flexibility is improved, but deployment time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual server configuration into two independent parts: a base image containing the operating system and core software, and a configuration layer containing application-specific settings. This segmentation allows the configuration layer to be modified and applied to multiple base images without rebuilding the entire image, thus improving configuration flexibility while reducing deployment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring base images with standard software and settings that can be reused across multiple virtual servers. Configuration parameters are prepared in advance and can be rapidly applied to instantiated servers, eliminating the need to rebuild images for each new deployment scenario.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate machine images are created for each virtual server instance, then customization precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the configuration parameters and application-specific settings from the base image into a separate configuration layer. This extraction allows each virtual server instance to be customized with precise control over configuration parameters while reusing the same base image, thereby maintaining customization precision without increasing system complexity through multiple images.
Solution Approach 2:
The base image is designed to be universal and can serve as the foundation for multiple different virtual server instances with varying configurations. The configuration manager enables a single base image to support multiple customization scenarios, reducing system complexity while maintaining the ability to precisely customize each instance.
3Manufacturing precision
If configuration is coupled with image building, then configuration accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by separating the static base image from the dynamic configuration layer. The configuration can be dynamically adjusted and applied to instantiated servers without modifying the base image itself. This dynamic approach maintains configuration accuracy while significantly improving deployment efficiency through rapid configuration application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a configuration manager as an intermediary between the base image and the virtual server instances. This intermediary handles the configuration application process, ensuring configuration accuracy is maintained while enabling rapid deployment by managing the separation between image building and configuration application.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for providing faster and more efficient ways to deploy virtual server configurations in a hosted virtual server service are described. Broadly, a base machine image is created with essential or standard virtual server functionality, and a configuration manager, which allows the virtual server to be customized after instantiation. This post-instantiation customization, which can include network or system parameters, software upgrades or modifications, role specification, specification of locations of other virtual servers, software installation, and loading of application data, allows virtual servers to be customized without the need for separate machine images for each virtual server instance.