Cross-Host Memory Segment Consolidation for VM Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for managing virtual machines (VMs) in cloud environments face challenges in optimizing resource capacity and configuration to maximize VM density without impairing performance, while also minimizing resource waste and energy consumption, and avoiding increased capital expenditures and network latency.
Innovation Solution
A resource consolidation unit identifies identical memory segments across multiple host computers and migrates provisioned resources to optimize memory utilization, using techniques like content-based page sharing and distributed Kernel Samepage Merging to consolidate VMs and reduce physical memory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If content-based page sharing techniques like Kernel Samepage Merging are used to consolidate host memory, then VM density and memory utilization improve, but the improvement is only incremental and does not fully resolve memory capacity limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges identical memory segments from multiple VMs across different host computers into a single shared memory segment. When a VM migration identifies that the destination host has VMs with identical memory contents, it consolidates these segments, allowing multiple VMs to share the same physical memory pages, thereby exponentially increasing effective memory capacity beyond what single-host techniques can achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends memory consolidation from the single-host dimension to the multi-host dimension. By migrating VMs between hosts and identifying identical memory segments across different physical machines, the system adds a spatial dimension to memory sharing, transforming localized memory optimization into a distributed memory consolidation strategy that achieves superior VM density.
2Quantity of substance
If physical hardware is acquired to increase memory capacity, then memory availability improves, but capital expenditures increase and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing physical memory resources universal by enabling them to serve multiple VMs across multiple hosts through identification and sharing of identical memory segments. Instead of requiring dedicated memory for each VM, the same physical memory pages can be shared across numerous VMs on different hosts, maximizing the utility of existing hardware investments without additional capital expenditures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of memory segments that allow VMs to access identical physical memory pages. When memory segments are identified as identical across VMs, the system establishes shared references rather than physical copies, allowing multiple VMs to utilize the same memory resources simultaneously without requiring additional physical memory hardware.
3Productivity
If VMs are migrated between host computers for resource consolidation, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but network latency and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification of identical memory segments and potential migration targets before actual VM migration occurs. The system proactively scans for VMs with identical memory contents across hosts and pre-establishes migration pathways, so that when migration is triggered, the actual data movement is minimized and network latency is reduced because the consolidation strategy is already in place.
Data Source
AI summary
A shared resource system, a method of managing resources on the system and computer program products therefor. A resource consolidation unit causes identification of identical memory segments on host computers. The resource consolidation unit may be in one or more host computers. Each identical memory segment is associated with multiple instances of resources provisioned on at least two host computers. The resource consolidation unit causes provisioned resources to be migrated for at least one instance from one of the two hosts to another. On the other host computer the migrated resources share respective identical memory segments with resources already provisioned on the other host.