Cross-Hypervisor Virtual Machine Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for data recovery of guest virtual machines (VMs) hosted on one hypervisor to a different hypervisor require disk copying and new VM configuration, limiting recovery to specific destination hypervisors, and do not allow recovery to any type or brand of destination hypervisor.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that identifies and converts virtual disk formats and configuration information to enable data recovery of guest VMs from one hypervisor to another, regardless of the source or destination hypervisor type, brand, or format, by creating a new virtual disk and VM with compatible attributes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If third party tools are used to recover backed up guest VM from source hypervisor to destination hypervisor, then data recovery can be performed, but disk copying and new VM configuration are required, increasing operation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the virtual machine data from the source hypervisor backup and restores it to the destination hypervisor. The system identifies the backed up VM on the source hypervisor, copies the virtual disk data, and creates a restored VM on the destination hypervisor, eliminating the need for manual disk copying and configuration by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor system performs the recovery operation autonomously without requiring third party tools or manual user intervention. The system automatically identifies the backup, performs the data conversion between different hypervisor formats, and restores the VM to the destination hypervisor, making the system self-sufficient for cross-hypervisor recovery.
2Reliability
If existing recovery solutions are used, then data recovery is possible, but the user must create a new VM with different configuration data, increasing time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically preserving and transferring the original VM configuration data from the source hypervisor backup during the recovery process. Instead of requiring the user to manually recreate configuration data after recovery, the system proactively maintains the configuration information and applies it to the restored VM, saving significant time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the data recovery process with the configuration preservation process. Instead of treating them as separate operations (recovery then configuration), the system combines both functions into a single automated operation, restoring both the virtual disk data and the configuration settings simultaneously, thereby reducing total recovery time.
3Reliability
If current recovery methods are used, then recovery between specific hypervisors is possible, but recovery to any type or brand of destination hypervisor is not allowed, reducing adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal recovery mechanism that enables data recovery from any source hypervisor (Hyper-V, VMware, Xen, KVM, etc.) to any destination hypervisor regardless of type or brand. The system identifies the source hypervisor format, performs appropriate data conversion, and restores the VM to the destination hypervisor, making the recovery capability universal across all hypervisor platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the data format parameters during recovery based on the source and destination hypervisor types. It identifies the source hypervisor format, transforms the virtual disk data into the appropriate format for the destination hypervisor, and applies the correct configuration parameters, enabling seamless cross-platform recovery without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of performing data recovery of a first virtual machine (VM) hosted on a first hypervisor to a second hypervisor that is different from the first hypervisor is provided. The method identifies information indicating format of a first virtual disk in a backup of the first VM, and creates a second virtual disk using the information indicating format of the first virtual disk. The method also accesses information indicating configuration of the first VM and metadata of the first virtual disk, and creates a second VM hosted on the second hypervisor using the information indicating configuration of the first VM and the metadata of the first virtual disk. The method further attaches the second virtual disk to the second VM.