Patent Publication Number: US-2023132531-A1

Title: Software Development Project Infrastructure Builder Tool

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Software may be used to refer to a variety of instructions that can be executed by semiconductor processors. Software can include computer programs, computer code, computer scripts, firmware, and other expressions of machine executable logic. Almost all modern appliances have software executing in them: cell phones, personal computers, host computers, engine controllers in vehicles, airplane flight control systems, residential and commercial HVAC systems, communication systems, etc. Software in complex systems such as communication systems, air traffic control systems, inventory management systems can be extremely complicated. Automated tools and systems to assist in managing and controlling the configuration of software have been developed, but much of the activity of developing software remains a manual activity performed by software engineers, computer programmers, and coders. Often a team of software developers collaborate together in creating large, complex software systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an embodiment, a software development project infrastructure builder tool that builds a software development project infrastructure based on receiving declaratory statements from a user about the kind of infrastructure desired, streamlining the process of getting a software development project underway and prompting consistent compliance with software development process policies is disclosed. The tool comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, a user interface stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executing by the processor, presents a list of available application development framework tools and receives input selecting one of the application development framework tools and a software development project name, a templates microservice stored in the non-transitory memory, and a project microservice stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the templates microservice receives a command to build a software repository that identifies characteristics about the software repository, selects a code builder tool based on the identified characteristics about the software repository, requests a software repository from the selected code builder tool, and returns the software artifacts. When executed by the processor, the project microservice receives information about the selected application development tool and the software development project name, creates an empty software repository based on the software development project name in a software repository and workflow tool system, requests a software repository from the templates microservice, receives software repository artifacts from the templates microservice, installs the software repository artifacts into the empty software repository in the software repository and workflow tool system. 
     In another embodiment, a method of building a software development project infrastructure based on receiving declaratory statements from a user about the kind of infrastructure desired, streamlining the process of getting a software development project underway and prompting consistent compliance with software development process policies is disclosed. The method comprises receiving by a project microservice executing on a computer system user input comprising identification of an application development framework tool, identification of a location to deploy a software development project environment, and a software development project name, in response to receiving the user input, creating a software repository in a software repository and workflow tool system by the project microservice, wherein the software repository comprises a workflow executable configurable to execute predefined software development process policies in response to software check-in events, and in response to receiving the user input, transmitting the identification of the application development framework tool by the project microservice to a templates microservice. The method further comprises, in response to receiving the identification of the application development framework tool, selecting by the template microservice executing on the computer system an application development tool based on the identification of the application development framework tool, requesting by the template microservice a code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool to build a software repository, and returning software repository artifacts built by the code builder tool by the template microservice to the project microservice, wherein the artifacts comprise code stubs that each comprises application programming interfaces (APIs), links to authentication libraries, and links to logging libraries. The method further comprises installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository and deploying the software development project infrastructure by the project microservice at the location identified by the user input. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method of building a software development project infrastructure based on receiving declaratory statements from a user. The method comprises receiving by a project microservice executing on a computer system user input comprising identification of an application development framework tool and a software development project name, in response to receiving the user input, creating a software repository in a software repository and workflow tool system by the project microservice, wherein the software repository comprises a workflow executable configurable to execute predefined software development process policies in response to software check-in events, and in response to receiving the user input, transmitting the identification of the application development framework tool by the project microservice to a templates microservice. The method further comprises, in response to receiving the identification of the application development framework tool, selecting by the template microservice executing on the computer system an application development tool based on the identification of the application development framework tool, requesting by the template microservice a code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool to build a software repository, returning software repository artifacts built by the code builder tool by the template microservice to the project microservice, installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository, and presenting a sandbox learning interface to the user inputting information. 
     These and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts. 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B  are a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3 A  and  FIG.  3 B  are a flowchart of another method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a block diagram of a computer system according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments are illustrated below, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not yet in existence. The disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents. 
     Starting a software development project in an enterprise can involve many tasks before a software developer ever begins to study the software requirements and designing a software architecture to implement the requirements. A development tool may be selected and stood up. A software repository may be established. A continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline may be linked into the software repository such that check-in of software triggers automated actions of the CI/CD pipeline to execute. A deployment infrastructure may be established. It may fall to the software developers to set these things up, but the software developers may not in fact have the skills and experience to set-up these kinds of working environments — their core competence may be in developing software. Additionally, even if the software developers can manage to complete the set-up, the set-up activity can be time consuming and delay the launch of the productive software development work. The software developers, further, may complete the set-up in a non-standard way that differs undesirably from development project to development project, when different software developers are responsible for launching the different development projects. In some cases, software developers may overlook establishing a geographical redundancy capability of the software development project, because on a previous project this was handled by the deployment team, but in this case the deployment team is not expecting to automatically set-up geographical redundancy. Consequently, the system may be deployed without geographical redundancy, and only when a localized natural disaster (forest fire, flood, tornado) takes the system out of service for an extended period of time does the need for georedundancy come into view. The software development project may be set up without building in protections for personally identifiable information (PII) from the start and in a systematic way. All of these present problems for software development projects. 
     The present disclosure teaches a software development project builder tool that is able to do most of these initial set-up tasks with minimal inputs from software developers and often avoid the problems described above that can occur in manual set-up of software development projects. This provides both time efficiencies for time spent getting the software development project set up and getting the software development project underway, and it also provides benefits of correctness and problem avoidance. The project builder tool prompts a user to select a software development tool from a list, prompts the user to provide a project name, prompts the user to identify a deployment environment, and the project builder tool does the rest. The project builder tool can build in protection of personal identifiable information (PII), for example when a requirement to prompt subscribers over the age of 55 with a particular solicitation is part of the project. The project builder tool can build in logging support. The project builder tool can build in support for geographical redundancy in the deployment environment. The project builder tool can build in support for nonfunctional requirements such as doing static code analysis, for example executing “lint”-like static analysis of code to flag programming errors, bugs, stylistic errors, and suspicious logical constructs. 
     The software development project builder tool provides an opportunity for avoiding responsibilities falling between the cracks because of imprecise communication among team members. The software project builder tool provides an opportunity for promulgating a uniform enterprise-wide software development process. This uniform software development process can promote reliability of the deployed software development project in several ways (e.g., consistent and automated checks of software practices, mandatory performance of quality procedures). The software project builder tool also supports ease of adapting and improving software development processes, supporting fast pivots as lessons are learned and the enterprise learns from evolving industry practices, and does not require manual updating in each different software development project. The software project builder tool enforces rigor where lack of knowledge or lack of skill might have led to variant choices which are not as effective and/or miss key process steps. 
     The CI/CD pipeline is defined by the project builder tool using templates, such that as the templates change, the pipelines change. Thus, significant underlying details of the software development project can be seamlessly changed by modifying the templates, and the changes deploy transparently to the next software development project and to users. The templates can be used to define and enforce enterprise software architectural and software development standards and policy. In an embodiment, selections of a software development tool or a code generator and other options by the user are mapped by the software development builder tool to a particular set of pre-defined templates. The collection of templates making up such a set define pipeline actions that are performed when software development events relative to a project software repository occur, such as code check in, code build, code test, code deploy, or other software development events. These templates are defined outside of the project software repository, and when an event occurs that invokes a pipeline event, the functional behavior defined by the template is looked up or accessed dynamically at that time. Thus, if the template—the particular pipeline action—changes, the processing performed on this event is that defined by the changed template. This makes the software development builder tool very easily maintainable. 
     The software development project builder tool reaches out to a selected one of a plurality of third-party code generator tools, based on the software development tool selected by the user from the list, and prompts the selected code generator tool to build scaffolded code (e.g., code stubs with application programming interfaces (APIs) built in, logging built in, protections for PII built in). These third-party code generator tools exist outside the project builder tools—they are not integrated inside the project builder tool as plug-ins—and this makes the project builder tool more flexible and adaptable. For example, if it is desired for the project builder tool to interact with an additional third-party code generator tool, the user interface drop down list need only be modified to include the additional third-party code generator in the list and map this list entry to the URL/URI or other address of the third-party code generator tool. Other automated code building frameworks may typically be built into the software tool, which can make such software tools difficult to maintain and difficult to extend to work with newly deployed third-party code generator tools, because the new code generator would need to be integrated into the software tool in the form of a plug-in. The software project development builder tool taught herein avoids this problem by not integrating these third-party tools. 
     In some contexts, the software development project builder tool may be referred to as a starter kits tool. The starter kits tool avoids developers reinventing the wheel. The starter kits tool assures consistency of set-ups across different software development projects. The starter kits tool allows the enterprise to leverage the value of subject matter experts (SMEs) beyond the confines of their specific projects by institutionalizing their knowledge in the starter kits. In an example implementation, the starter kits tool has been found to save 2 weeks to 4 weeks getting a new software development project launched. In a number of software development projects using the starter kits tool to launch, this has led to total savings accumulated across the several projects of anywhere from about 30,000 hours to about 60,000 hours of software development time and a cost savings of between about $4 M and about $8 M 
     Turning now to  FIG.  1   , a system  100  is described. In an embodiment, system  100  comprises one or more work stations  102 , a network  104 , a user interface (UI) application  106  including a list of application development frameworks  108 , a project microservice  110 , and a templates microservice  112 . The work stations  102  may be implemented as computers, for example desktop computers or laptop computers. The network  104  may comprise one or more private networks, one or more public networks, or a combination thereof. The UI application  106 , the project microservice  110 , and the templates microservice  112  may be applications that execute on one or more computer systems. Computer systems are discussed further hereinafter. In an embodiment, the UI application  106 , the project microservice  110 , and the templates microservice  112  are part of a software development project builder tool  115 . 
     The work stations  102 , the UI application  106 , the project microservice  110 , and the templates microservice  112  are all communicatively coupled to the network  104  and are able to intercommunicate via the network  104 . In an embodiment, the work stations  102  may only communicate with the UI application  106  and may not communicate directly with the project microservice  110  and the templates microservice  112 . The work stations  102  may indirectly communicate via the UI application  106  with the project microservice  110  and the templates microservice  112 . In an embodiment, the work stations  102  may communicate directly with the project microservice  110 , for example to call an application programming interface (API) of the project microservice  110  to call an automated bulk generation of a plurality of software projects at one time. The project builder tool  115  may communicate via the network  104  with one or more code generator applications  114  that are provided by third-parties. The project builder tool  115  communicates via the network  104  with a software repository and workflow tool  116 . 
     In an embodiment, a user may use the workstation  102  to log into the software development project builder tool  115 , for example to log into a web page interface extended by the UI application  106 . The user may select an application development framework from the list of application development frameworks  108  presented by the UI application  106  on a display of the work station  102 . In some contexts, the selection of an application development framework may be referred to as selecting a starter kit. The user may input a name of a software development project or an enterprise project name. The user may select a deployment architecture specifying where the software to be developed ultimately will be deployed. For example, the user may select deployment to an on premise location, to cloud Kubernetes, to a Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF), or another deployment location. The user may select a type of deployment, for example identifying a geographic redundant deployment, such that if one data center fails (local power outage, massive fiber cut, natural disaster) the software may be executed at a different geographically located data center. 
     The list of application development frameworks  108  includes a plurality of different application development frameworks, for example a Spring Boot application development framework, an Angular application development framework, a React application development framework, and other application development frameworks. As new application development frameworks are deployed by third parties, the list of application development frameworks  108  can be extended to include new application development frameworks, if so desired. The user interface  106  maps the identity of the application development frameworks presented to users by the work stations  102  (e.g., in a drop-down list in a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on a display of the work stations  102 ) to a reference or address associated with each of the different application development frameworks, for example a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource identifier (URI), or an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The references link to the code generators  114  corresponding to the application development frameworks. 
     When the user submits or commits these selections and inputs, the UI application  106  conveys this information to the project microservice  110 . The project microservice  110  validates the request to create a software development project (e.g., to build a starter kit). For example, the project microservice  110  may check to make sure no previously build software development project has already used the name input to the UI application  106  by the workstation  102 . If the request is valid, the project microservice  110  reaches out to the repository and workflow tool  116  to establish an empty software and/or project artifacts repository. 
     The project microservice  110  sends a request to the templates microservice  112 , identifying the selected application development framework (e.g., providing the URL, URI, IP address, or other reference identifying a specific code generator  114 ). The templates microservice  112  uses the reference to reach out to the appropriate one of the code generators  114  to request scaffolded code suitable to the software development project. The code generator  114  builds the scaffolded code and returns it to the templates microservice  112 . In an embodiment, the templates microservice  112  may provide some content for the scaffolded code itself, for example by adding logging code support, adding authentication code support. The templates microservice  112  can build in CI/CD pipeline logic such that when code is checked in by developers in the repository and workflow tool  116 , the CI/CD pipeline executes in the repository and workflow tool  116 . For example, the templates microservice  112  can build execution of lint-like scripts into the CI/CD pipeline logic that checks compliance of the checked in code or software with software development standards. For example, the templates microservice  112  can build compilation of checked in code and execution of some tests to assure code is properly set-up. The templates microservice  112  sends the generated code artifacts and pipeline artifacts to the project microservice  110 . 
     The project microservice  110  pushes the generated code artifacts and pipeline artifacts into the previously established empty repository within the repository and workflow tool  116 . The repository and workflow tool  116  executes (e.g., the pipeline portion executes) and pushes generated code (produced by the selected code generator  114  and supplemented by the templates microservice  112 ) to a software project infrastructure  118 . The software project infrastructure  118  may be an on-premise, a cloud Kubernetes, a PCF, or another type of deployment infrastructure. The UI application  106  at the completion of this process sends a link to the user at the workstation  102 . The user now has access to work and develop software in the software project infrastructure  118  with a great many of the set-up details already completed for him or her. In an embodiment, the repository and workflow tool  116  is a GitLab tool. The repository and workflow tool  116  reports back to the project microservice  110 , and the project microservice  110  stores details of project deployment. 
     The software development project builder tool  115  saves the software developers much time getting the project up and running. It avoids the software developers “reinventing the wheel,” as it were, every time a new software development project is launched. It promotes consistency from project to project within an enterprise. It lets software developers rely on their core competency rather than having to become experts in environment set-up and initial tool configuration. Additionally, the project builder tool  115  can leverage the expertise of various people within an enterprise by building their insights and knowledge into the project builder tool  115  (for example into the templates microservice  112 ). The project builder tool  115  can act as a framework for promulgating software standards and processes across the enterprise. As changes are made in the software development project builder tool  115 , these changes are automatically built into later launching software development projects. 
     Turning now to  FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B , a method  200  is described. In an embodiment, the method  200  is a method of building a software development project infrastructure based on receiving declaratory statements from a user about the kind of environment desired, streamlining the process of getting a software development project underway and prompting consistent compliance with software development process policies. In some contexts, the software development project infrastructure may comprise a software development project environment: a set of computing resources and software development tools used to design, develop, test, and release software. At block  202 , the method  200  comprises receiving by a project microservice executing on a computer system user input comprising identification of an application development framework tool, identification of a location to deploy a software development project environment, and a software development project name. In an embodiment, the identification of the application development framework tool comprises a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource identifier, or an Internet Protocol (IP) address that references the code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool. 
     At block  204 , the method  200  comprises, in response to receiving the user input, creating a software repository in a software repository and workflow tool system by the project microservice, wherein the software repository comprises a workflow executable configurable to execute predefined software development process policies in response to software check-in events. At block  206 , the method  200  comprises, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting the identification of the application development framework tool by the project microservice to a templates microservice. 
     At block  208 , the method  200  comprises, in response to receiving the identification of the application development framework tool, selecting by the template microservice executing on the computer system an application development tool based on the identification of the application development framework tool. At block  210 , the method  200  comprises requesting by the template microservice a code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool to build a software repository. In an embodiment, the code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool is located outside the template microservice and outside the project microservice. 
     At block  212 , the method  200  comprises returning software repository artifacts built by the code builder tool by the template microservice to the project microservice, wherein the artifacts comprise code stubs that each comprises application programming interfaces (APIs), links to authentication libraries, and links to logging libraries. In an embodiment, the software repository artifacts comprise a plurality of code scaffolding files generated by the code builder tool. In an embodiment, the code scaffolding comprises logging functionality. In an embodiment, the code scaffolding comprises APIs. In an embodiment, the template microservice provides software repository artifacts not produced by the code builder tool but generated by itself or stored by itself, for example in a library of artifacts. In an embodiment, the template microservice provides CI/CD pipeline artifacts, for example a script that screens software checked into the software repository for compliance with predefined coding standards. 
     At block  214 , the method  200  comprises installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository. The processing of block  214  may further comprise executing a CI/CD pipeline implemented by the software repository based on being configured with the artifacts and generating a software development project infrastructure. Alternatively, executing the CI/CD pipeline implemented by the software repository based on being configured with the artifacts may trigger the execution of block  216 . At block  216 , the method  200  comprises deploying the software development project infrastructure by the project microservice at the location identified by the user input. 
     Turning now to  FIG.  3 A  and  FIG.  3 B , a method  220  is described. In an embodiment, the method  220  is a method of building a software development project infrastructure based on receiving declaratory statements from a user. In some contexts, the software development project infrastructure may comprise a software development project environment: a set of computing resources and software development tools used to design, develop, test, and release software. At block  222 , the method  220  comprises receiving by a project microservice executing on a computer system user input comprising identification of an application development framework tool and a software development project name. In an embodiment, the user input further defines whether a geographic redundancy configuration is needed for the software development project infrastructure. 
     At block  224 , the method  220  comprises, in response to receiving the user input, creating a software repository in a software repository and workflow tool system by the project microservice, wherein the software repository comprises a workflow executable configurable to execute predefined software development process policies in response to software check-in events. At block  226 , the method  220  comprises, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting the identification of the application development framework tool by the project microservice to a templates microservice. 
     At block  228 , the method  220  comprises, in response to receiving the identification of the application development framework tool, selecting by the template microservice executing on the computer system an application development tool based on the identification of the application development framework tool. At block  230 , the method  220  comprises requesting by the template microservice a code builder tool associated with the selected application development framework tool to build a software repository. At block  232 , the method  230  comprises returning software repository artifacts built by the code builder tool by the template microservice to the project microservice. In an embodiment, the template microservice builds some of the software repository artifacts that it returns to the project microservice. At block  234 , the method  230  comprises installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository. In an embodiment, installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository configures the software repository to execute predefined software development process policies. In an embodiment, installing the software repository artifacts by the project microservice in the software repository configures a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline to be executed by the software repository in response to software check-in events. At block  236 , the method  220  comprises presenting a sandbox learning interface to the user inputting information. In an embodiment, the method  220  further comprises, in response to the user input selecting a geographic redundancy configuration, building geographic redundancy into the software development project infrastructure by the project microservice. 
       FIG.  4    illustrates a computer system  380  suitable for implementing one or more embodiments disclosed herein. The computer system  380  includes a processor  382  (which may be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondary storage  384 , read only memory (ROM)  386 , random access memory (RAM)  388 , input/output (I/O) devices  390 , and network connectivity devices  392 . The processor  382  may be implemented as one or more CPU chips. 
     It is understood that by programming and/or loading executable instructions onto the computer system  380 , at least one of the CPU  382 , the RAM  388 , and the ROM  386  are changed, transforming the computer system  380  in part into a particular machine or apparatus having the novel functionality taught by the present disclosure. It is fundamental to the electrical engineering and software engineering arts that functionality that can be implemented by loading executable software into a computer can be converted to a hardware implementation by well-known design rules. Decisions between implementing a concept in software versus hardware typically hinge on considerations of stability of the design and numbers of units to be produced rather than any issues involved in translating from the software domain to the hardware domain. Generally, a design that is still subject to frequent change may be preferred to be implemented in software, because re-spinning a hardware implementation is more expensive than re-spinning a software design. Generally, a design that is stable that will be produced in large volume may be preferred to be implemented in hardware, for example in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), because for large production runs the hardware implementation may be less expensive than the software implementation. Often a design may be developed and tested in a software form and later transformed, by well-known design rules, to an equivalent hardware implementation in an application specific integrated circuit that hardwires the instructions of the software. In the same manner as a machine controlled by a new ASIC is a particular machine or apparatus, likewise a computer that has been programmed and/or loaded with executable instructions may be viewed as a particular machine or apparatus. 
     Additionally, after the system  380  is turned on or booted, the CPU  382  may execute a computer program or application. For example, the CPU  382  may execute software or firmware stored in the ROM  386  or stored in the RAM  388 . In some cases, on boot and/or when the application is initiated, the CPU  382  may copy the application or portions of the application from the secondary storage  384  to the RAM  388  or to memory space within the CPU  382  itself, and the CPU  382  may then execute instructions that the application is comprised of. In some cases, the CPU  382  may copy the application or portions of the application from memory accessed via the network connectivity devices  392  or via the I/O devices  390  to the RAM  388  or to memory space within the CPU  382 , and the CPU  382  may then execute instructions that the application is comprised of. During execution, an application may load instructions into the CPU  382 , for example load some of the instructions of the application into a cache of the CPU  382 . In some contexts, an application that is executed may be said to configure the CPU  382  to do something, e.g., to configure the CPU  382  to perform the function or functions promoted by the subject application. When the CPU  382  is configured in this way by the application, the CPU  382  becomes a specific purpose computer or a specific purpose machine. 
     The secondary storage  384  is typically comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data and as an over-flow data storage device if RAM  388  is not large enough to hold all working data. Secondary storage  384  may be used to store programs which are loaded into RAM  388  when such programs are selected for execution. The ROM  386  is used to store instructions and perhaps data which are read during program execution. ROM  386  is a non-volatile memory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative to the larger memory capacity of secondary storage  384 . The RAM  388  is used to store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to both ROM  386  and RAM  388  is typically faster than to secondary storage  384 . The secondary storage  384 , the RAM  388 , and/or the ROM  386  may be referred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and/or non-transitory computer readable media. 
     I/O devices  390  may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches, dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tape readers, or other well-known input devices. 
     The network connectivity devices  392  may take the form of modems, modem banks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards, serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radio transceiver cards, and/or other well-known network devices. The network connectivity devices  392  may provide wired communication links and/or wireless communication links (e.g., a first network connectivity device  392  may provide a wired communication link and a second network connectivity device  392  may provide a wireless communication link). Wired communication links may be provided in accordance with Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), Internet protocol (IP), time division multiplex (TDM), data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and/or the like. In an embodiment, the radio transceiver cards may provide wireless communication links using protocols such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth, Zigbee, narrowband Internet of things (NB IoT), near field communications (NFC), and radio frequency identity (RFID). The radio transceiver cards may promote radio communications using 5G, 5G New Radio, or 5G LTE radio communication protocols. These network connectivity devices  392  may enable the processor  382  to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the processor  382  might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. Such information, which is often represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor  382 , may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave. 
     Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executed using processor  382  for example, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signal or signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed, may be generated according to several methods well-known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and/or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be referred to in some contexts as a transitory signal. 
     The processor  382  executes instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk (these various disk based systems may all be considered secondary storage  384 ), flash drive, ROM  386 , RAM  388 , or the network connectivity devices  392 . While only one processor  382  is shown, multiple processors may be present. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by a processor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, or otherwise executed by one or multiple processors. Instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts, and/or data that may be accessed from the secondary storage  384 , for example, hard drives, floppy disks, optical disks, and/or other device, the ROM  386 , and/or the RAM  388  may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory instructions and/or non-transitory information. 
     In an embodiment, the computer system  380  may comprise two or more computers in communication with each other that collaborate to perform a task. For example, but not by way of limitation, an application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of the instructions of the application. Alternatively, the data processed by the application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of different portions of a data set by the two or more computers. In an embodiment, virtualization software may be employed by the computer system  380  to provide the functionality of a number of servers that is not directly bound to the number of computers in the computer system  380 . For example, virtualization software may provide twenty virtual servers on four physical computers. In an embodiment, the functionality disclosed above may be provided by executing the application and/or applications in a cloud computing environment. Cloud computing may comprise providing computing services via a network connection using dynamically scalable computing resources. Cloud computing may be supported, at least in part, by virtualization software. A cloud computing environment may be established by an enterprise and/or may be hired on an as-needed basis from a third party provider. Some cloud computing environments may comprise cloud computing resources owned and operated by the enterprise as well as cloud computing resources hired and/or leased from a third party provider. 
     In an embodiment, some or all of the functionality disclosed above may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may comprise one or more computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein to implement the functionality disclosed above. The computer program product may comprise data structures, executable instructions, and other computer usable program code. The computer program product may be embodied in removable computer storage media and/or non-removable computer storage media. The removable computer readable storage medium may comprise, without limitation, a paper tape, a magnetic tape, magnetic disk, an optical disk, a solid state memory chip, for example analog magnetic tape, compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) disks, floppy disks, jump drives, digital cards, multimedia cards, and others. The computer program product may be suitable for loading, by the computer system  380 , at least portions of the contents of the computer program product to the secondary storage  384 , to the ROM  386 , to the RAM  388 , and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system  380 . The processor  382  may process the executable instructions and/or data structures in part by directly accessing the computer program product, for example by reading from a CD-ROM disk inserted into a disk drive peripheral of the computer system  380 . Alternatively, the processor  382  may process the executable instructions and/or data structures by remotely accessing the computer program product, for example by downloading the executable instructions and/or data structures from a remote server through the network connectivity devices  392 . The computer program product may comprise instructions that promote the loading and/or copying of data, data structures, files, and/or executable instructions to the secondary storage  384 , to the ROM  386 , to the RAM  388 , and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system  380 . 
     In some contexts, the secondary storage  384 , the ROM  386 , and the RAM  388  may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium or a computer readable storage media. A dynamic RAM embodiment of the RAM  388 , likewise, may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium in that while the dynamic RAM receives electrical power and is operated in accordance with its design, for example during a period of time during which the computer system  380  is turned on and operational, the dynamic RAM stores information that is written to it. Similarly, the processor  382  may comprise an internal RAM, an internal ROM, a cache memory, and/or other internal non-transitory storage blocks, sections, or components that may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory computer readable media or computer readable storage media. 
     While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted or not implemented. 
     Also, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.