Virtual Machine Runtime Configuration Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing, uploading customized virtual machine images to an image distribution service is impractical due to the large number of variations required for a given cloud environment, making it inefficient to manage and store.
Innovation Solution
The orchestration server stores runtime configuration files locally, compiling a list for each virtual machine instance that specifies the target location within the instance, allowing the bootstrap process to download and execute these files during boot-up, utilizing the User Data mechanism for file retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If customized virtual machine images are uploaded to an image distribution service, then virtual machine instances can be deployed with specific configurations, but the number of images to manage and store becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual machine image into a base image and separate runtime configuration files. The base image contains the core operating system and software, while customization parameters are stored as separate configuration files. This segmentation allows the system to manage fewer base images while achieving extensive customization through combinations of configuration files.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts customization parameters from the virtual machine image and places them into separate runtime configuration files. These configuration files contain only the necessary customization data, separating the customization information from the base image storage requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of customized virtual machine images are stored, then all configuration variations can be available, but storage requirements and management complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The base image serves as a universal template that can be combined with multiple different runtime configuration files to produce various customized virtual machine instances. This multi-functionality allows a single base image to support multiple configuration variations without requiring separate stored images for each variation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing multiple complete customized images, the system creates a base image once and generates customized configurations by copying and modifying runtime configuration files. This copying approach reduces storage requirements while maintaining the ability to create multiple configuration variations.
3Productivity
If runtime configuration files are loaded during boot-up, then customization can be applied efficiently, but the bootstrap process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The runtime configuration files are prepared and stored in advance during the base image creation process. When a virtual machine instance needs to be deployed, the system simply loads the pre-prepared configuration files during boot-up, avoiding the need for complex real-time configuration processing and enabling faster deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for loading runtime configuration files into virtual machine instances. An example method may comprise: storing, by a processing device, a plurality of virtual machine configuration files in a storage memory accessible by a virtual machine instance; creating a file list referencing a virtual machine configuration file of the plurality of virtual machine configuration files, the file list further specifying a target location of the virtual machine configuration file in the virtual machine instance; and causing a boot process of the virtual machine instance to download the virtual machine configuration file specified by the file list from the storage memory into the target location specified by the file list.