Virtual Machine Image Testing During Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of creating virtual machine images for content items, such as video games, requires substantial time for production, which delays their activation and replication, hindering quick scaling to meet user demand.
Innovation Solution
A technique where a test content item instance is executed on a virtual machine during image production, allowing developers to test and interact with the content without waiting for the image to be fully produced, and enabling early detection of flaws or issues, while also allowing for approval or disapproval of the image before full activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a virtual machine image is created to include content item code, then the content item can be efficiently replicated across multiple virtual machines, but a substantial delay time is required to produce the virtual machine image before activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by allowing developers to test the content item on a first virtual machine instance while the virtual machine image is still being produced. This enables testing activities to begin before the image production is complete, overlapping the testing phase with the remaining image production phase and subsequent replication phase, thereby reducing the total time to market.
2Reliability
If the virtual machine image is fully produced and activated before testing, then complete content item functionality is available for testing, but developers must wait until image production is complete, increasing delay time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary testing on a first virtual machine instance while the virtual machine image is being produced. This allows developers to begin testing content item functionality before the image is fully produced and activated, reducing waiting time while maintaining testing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary virtual machine instance that serves as a testing environment during image production. This intermediary instance allows developers to test the content item without requiring the final virtual machine image to be complete, acting as a bridge between image production and full deployment.
3Productivity
If content item instances are scaled up quickly to meet user demand, then user service levels are maintained, but unnecessary costs may be incurred if the content item has flaws
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by allowing developers to test the content item on a virtual machine instance during image production and before full activation. This feedback mechanism enables detection of flaws early in the process, preventing costly scaling of defective content and allowing for corrections before resource-intensive replication occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
Testing is performed as a preliminary action before full content item activation and scaling. By conducting tests on a virtual machine instance during the image production phase, the system identifies potential issues before committing resources to large-scale replication, avoiding waste of computational resources on flawed content.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for content testing during image production are described herein. Information associated with a content item may be loaded onto a first virtual machine instance and a second virtual machine instance. On the second virtual machine instance, production of a virtual machine image including the information associated with the content item may be initiated. On the first virtual machine instance, a first instance of the content item may be executed. At least part of a time during which the first instance of the content item is executed may occur during the production of the virtual machine image. Upon completion of production of the virtual machine image and approval of its use, the virtual machine image may be replicated onto other content item instances, and the first virtual machine instance may be terminated or repurposed.