Dynamic Resource Allocation for Virtual Machine High Availability

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Solution Overview

Problem

In high availability (HA) configurations for communication software, the need for fixed resource allocation to standby virtual machines results in inefficient resource utilization, as these machines do not operate unless a failure occurs, leading to wasted resources and reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A service providing system that dynamically allocates hardware resources between active and standby virtual machines, allowing shared resource usage before activation and prioritizing resource allocation to the active machine, while ensuring sufficient resources for performance and efficient utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fixed resource allocation is applied to standby virtual machines to ensure performance availability, then reliability is improved, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability of standby virtual machinesVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the resource allocation management unit continuously monitors the operational state of virtual machines and adjusts resource allocation accordingly. Standby virtual machines receive minimal resources during normal operation but automatically receive sufficient resources when activated, eliminating the need for fixed pre-allocation while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes resource allocation parameters based on the operational state of virtual machines. When a standby virtual machine transitions to active state, the resource allocation management unit modifies the resource parameters (CPU, memory, storage) from minimal allocation to full allocation, ensuring performance requirements are met only when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If resources are allocated to standby virtual machines in advance, then failover capability is improved, but resource waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailover capabilityVSAvoidresource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the resource allocation decision from the standby state configuration and separates it from the activation event. Instead of allocating resources to standby machines in advance, the system allocates resources only when the standby machine is actually activated, removing the wasteful pre-allocation while preserving failover capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The resource allocation management unit automatically detects when a standby virtual machine becomes active and triggers resource allocation at that moment. This self-service mechanism ensures resources are allocated exactly when needed for failover without manual intervention or pre-allocation waste

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If CPU pinning technology is used to fix virtual CPUs to physical CPUs, then performance stability is improved, but resource flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance stabilityVSAvoidresource flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies CPU pinning dynamically based on the operational state of virtual machines. When a standby virtual machine is activated, the system then applies CPU pinning to ensure performance stability. This dynamic application of CPU pinning maintains performance requirements while allowing resource flexibility during standby states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares the virtual machine configuration with CPU pinning settings defined in advance, but only activates these settings when the virtual machine transitions to operational state. This preliminary preparation of pinning configurations allows quick activation while maintaining the flexibility to adjust resource allocation before pinning is enforced

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11640314B2Service provision system, resource allocation method, and resource allocation program

Publication Date: 2023.05.02 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP

AI summary

The utilization efficiency of physical resources is increased by allocating an occupied physical CPU core to a virtual CPU core in a virtual machine in a working system and allocating a shared physical CPU core to a virtual CPU core of a virtual machine in a standby system in a state in which the systems are active. A dedicated activation core, a shared core, or an occupied core is allocated when the respective virtual machines are activated, the resource allocation is changed after the respective virtual machines are activated, and the shared core and the occupied core are appropriately assigned to the working system and the standby system. In a case in which a failure occurs in the virtual machine of the working system, allocation of the shared core allocated to the other virtual machine in the pair is changed into an occupied state to avoid degradation of performance.