Exclusive Virtual Machine Association for Server Resource Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing complex networked computer systems in enterprises is challenging due to issues like resource management, scalability, troubleshooting, and security, particularly as the number of users and systems increases, leading to increased costs and logistical complexities.
Innovation Solution
A server computer system that utilizes virtualization to associate virtual machines with users on an exclusive basis, allowing administrators to manage resources efficiently through an administrative interface, maintaining virtual machines in an active or hibernated state for future connections while preventing other users from accessing them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtual machines are shared among multiple users, then resource utilization is improved, but security and exclusive access control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments virtual machines into exclusive VMs dedicated to specific users and shared VMs available to multiple users. This segmentation allows the system to provide both high security through exclusive allocation and high resource utilization through shared allocation, resolving the contradiction between security and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates and deallocates virtual machines based on user needs and system state. Virtual machines can transition between exclusive and shared states, and the system can migrate VMs between physical hosts to optimize both security requirements and resource utilization
2Reliability
If virtual machines are exclusively associated with users, then security is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Exclusive virtual machines are designed to be universally compatible across different physical hosts through virtualization. The same VM can be migrated between different physical servers, allowing exclusive user access while maintaining flexibility in resource allocation and improving overall system resource utilization
3Ease of operation
If virtual machines are maintained in active state for future connections, then user experience is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining virtual machines in continuously active state, the system uses periodic actions by maintaining VMs in a suspended or hibernated state between uses. When users connect, VMs are quickly activated from these low-power states, providing fast user experience while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates lightweight copies or snapshots of virtual machine states for quick restoration. Instead of maintaining full active VMs, the system stores VM state information that can be rapidly copied and restored, achieving fast user experience with minimal energy consumption
Data Source
AI summary
A first computer of a plurality of computers in a server computer system may be associated with a first user on an exclusive basis. An administrator of the server computer system may utilize an administrative user interface in order to specify the association. Associating the first computer with the first user on the exclusive basis may prevent users other than the first user from using the first computer. In response to receiving a request from the first user to connect to the server computer system, the system may operate to determine that the first computer is associated with the first user on the exclusive basis and may assign the first computer to the first user. Once the first computer has been assigned to the first user, the first user can begin using the first computer. In some embodiments the first computer may be a physical computer. In other embodiments the first computer may be a virtual machine.