Techniques for managing software container dependencies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018246729-A1
Application number	US-201715442417-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	Feb 24, 2017
Publication date	Aug 30, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for initializing an application composed of multiple software containers, where one or more of the software containers are associated with dependent software containers. A request is received to initialize the application. A dependency manager determines, from a map identifying associations between each of the software containers, whether a software container is associated with any dependent software containers. Upon determining that the software container is associated with dependent software containers, the dependency manager enables a notification setting in the software container. The dependency initializes the software container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving a request to initialize an application comprising a plurality of distinct software containers; for at least a first software container in the plurality of software containers:
determining, from a map identifying associations between each of the software containers, whether the first software container is associated with at least one dependent software container in the plurality of software containers, and
upon determining that the first software container is associated with the at least one dependent software container, enabling a notification setting in the first software container; and
initializing the first software container.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a notification from the first software container; and initializing the at least one dependent software container.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the associations in the map are identified based on a service configuration associated with the application.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first software container provides a first service for the application.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one dependent software container provides a second service for the application that depends on the first service to be initialized.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification indicates that the first software container is initialized.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon determining that the first software container is not associated with the at least one dependent container, initializing the first software container.

8 . A computer program product, comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed on a processor, performs an operation, comprising:
receiving a request to initialize an application comprising a plurality of distinct software containers,
for at least a first software container in the plurality of software containers:
determining, from a map identifying associations between each of the software containers, whether the first software container is associated with at least one dependent software container in the plurality of software containers, and
upon determining that the first software container is associated with the at least one dependent software container, enabling a notification setting in the first software container, and

initializing the first software container.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving a notification from the first software container; and initializing the at least one dependent software container.

10 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the associations in the map are identified based on a service configuration associated with the application.

11 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the first software container provides a first service for the application.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the at least one dependent software container provides a second service for the application that depends on the first service to be initialized.

13 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the notification indicates that the first software container is initialized.

14 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the operation further comprises:
upon determining that the first software container is not associated with the at least one dependent container, initializing the first software container.

15 . A system, comprising:
a processor; and a memory storing program code, which, when executed on the processor, performs an operation, comprising:
receiving a request to initialize an application comprising a plurality of distinct software containers,
for at least a first software container in the plurality of software containers:
determining, from a map identifying associations between each of the software containers, whether the first software container is associated with at least one dependent software container in the plurality of software containers, and
upon determining that the first software container is associated with the at least one dependent software container, enabling a notification setting in the first software container, and

initializing the first software container.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving a notification from the first software container; and initializing the at least one dependent software container.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the associations in the map are identified based on a service configuration associated with the application.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first software container provides a first service for the application.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one dependent software container provides a second service for the application that depends on the first service to be initialized.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the notification indicates that the first software container is initialized.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Kumar Kavitha Suresh

Classifications

• G06F9/445 Primary

  Program loading or initiating (bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F2009/45579

  I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title

• G06F9/542

  Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications · CPC title