Automatically producing software images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915307-B2
Application number	US-201815902604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 22, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

In one embodiment, a server generates expected levels of capability associated with possible combinations of settings for first and second adjustable parameters for an aspect of a software image feature. The server receives an indication of a desired level of capability for the aspect of the software image feature and, based on the indication, identifies a particular expected level of capability associated with a particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters. The particular expected level of capability is closer to a desired level of capability for an aspect of a software image feature than the other expected levels of capability associated with the possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters. The server produces a software image that includes the particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
storing a first mapping of respective settings for a first adjustable parameter for an aspect of a software image feature to first respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the first adjustable parameter;
storing a second mapping of respective settings for a second adjustable parameter for the aspect of the software image feature to second respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the second adjustable parameter;
generating expected levels of capability associated with possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters based on the first respective values and the second respective values, wherein generating the expected levels of capability associated with the possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters includes multiplying each of the first respective values with each of the second respective values;
receiving an indication of a desired level of capability for the aspect of the software image feature;
based on the indication, identifying a particular expected level of capability associated with a particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters, wherein the particular expected level of capability is closer to the desired level of capability than other expected levels of capability associated with the possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters;
producing a software image that includes the particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters and another software image feature that has been previously verified for compatibility with the software image feature;
determining an actual level of capability for the aspect of the software image;
computing a weighted average of the actual level of capability and the particular expected level of capability; and
automatically producing one or more subsequent software images based on the weighted average.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
producing the software image includes producing a software image that includes a particular possible combination of settings for third and fourth adjustable parameters for another aspect of the software image feature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
storing the first mapping includes storing a mapping of respective ranges of the first adjustable parameter to the first respective values.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
storing the first mapping includes storing a mapping of binary settings of the first adjustable parameter to the first respective values.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second respective values include first and second respective percentage values.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aspect of the software image feature includes performance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aspect of the software image feature includes debugability.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a network interface that enables network communications on behalf of the apparatus;
memory; and
one or more processors coupled to the network interface and the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
store a first mapping of respective settings for a first adjustable parameter for an aspect of a software image feature to first respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the first adjustable parameter;
store a second mapping of respective settings for a second adjustable parameter for the aspect of the software image feature to second respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the second adjustable parameter;
generate expected levels of capability associated with possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters based on the first respective values and the second respective values by multiplying each of the first respective values with each of the second respective values;
receive an indication of a desired level of capability for the aspect of the software image feature;
based on the indication, identify a particular expected level of capability associated with a particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters, wherein the particular expected level of capability is closer to the desired level of capability than other expected levels of capability associated with the possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters;
produce a software image that includes the particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters and another software image feature that has been previously verified for compatibility with the software image feature;
determine an actual level of capability for the aspect of the software image;
compute a weighted average of the actual level of capability and the particular expected level of capability; and
automatically produce one or more subsequent software images based on the weighted average.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to produce the software image by producing a software image that includes a particular possible combination of settings for third and fourth adjustable parameters for another aspect of the software image feature.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to store the first mapping by storing a mapping of respective ranges of the first adjustable parameter to the first respective values.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more processors are configured to store the first mapping by storing a mapping of binary settings of the first adjustable parameter to the first respective values.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the first and second respective values include first and second respective percentage values.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the aspect of the software image feature includes performance.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the aspect of the software image feature includes debugability.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
store a first mapping of respective settings for a first adjustable parameter for an aspect of a software image feature to first respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the first adjustable parameter;
store a second mapping of respective settings for a second adjustable parameter for the aspect of the software image feature to second respective values that represent expected levels of capability for the respective settings for the second adjustable parameter;
generate expected levels of capability associated with possible combinations of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters based on the first respective values and the second respective values by multiplying each of the first respective values with each of the second respective values;
receive an indication of a desired level of capability for the aspect of the software image feature;
based on the indication, identify a particular expected level of capability associated with a particular possible combination of the settings for the first and second adjustable parameters, wherein the particular expected level of capability is closer to the desired le

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Wells Ian James
• Patil Santosh Ramrao
• Metz Christopher
• Pawar Durgaprasad Sukhadeo
• Kadam Avaneesh Anandrao
• Munishwar Vikram Prasad

Classifications

• G06F8/36

  Software reuse · CPC title

• G06F8/63 Primary

  Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order · CPC title

• G06F9/44505 Primary

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F8/35

  model driven · CPC title

• G06F8/70

  Software maintenance or management · CPC title