Client-Aware Container Image Optimization

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

• receive, from a client computing device, a pull request for a requested container image, wherein the pull request comprises a specification of cached container layers that are stored in a local container layer store of the client computing device;
• determine, based on the specification of the cached container layers, a set of one or more of the cached container layers that can be reused to provide the container image at the client computing device, thereby generating a set of reuse container layers;
• generate, based on the determination, an output container image comprising container layers, of the requested container image, that provide files not provided by the set of reuse container layers, wherein the output container image does not include files present in the set of reuse container layers;
• and
• transmit the output container image to the client computing device.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
• receive, from a client computing device, a pull request for a requested container image, wherein the pull request comprises a specification of cached container layers that are stored in a local container layer store of the client computing device;
• determine, based on the specification of the cached container layers, a set of one or more of the cached container layers that can be reused to provide the container image at the client computing device, thereby generating a set of reuse container layers;
• generate, based on the determination, an output container image comprising container layers, of the requested container image, that provide files not provided by the set of reuse container layers, wherein the output container image does not include files present in the set of reuse container layers;
• and
• transmit the output container image to the client computing device.