Host OS Upgrade with VM Resource Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the upgrade of a host machine's operating system, the services running on virtual machines are suspended, leading to performance degradation and prolonged wait times, as both hardware and software need to be stopped and restarted, affecting the execution of task items by the virtual machines.
Innovation Solution
A method that decouples hardware and software resources allocated to virtual machines from the host machine before the upgrade, allowing virtual machines to continue executing task items without interruption by removing dependency relationships and maintaining resource availability during the upgrade process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the host machine's operating system is upgraded by stopping and restarting hardware and software, then the software is updated to fix vulnerabilities and add characteristics, but the services running on virtual machines are suspended, leading to performance degradation and prolonged wait times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the host machine's resources into two distinct groups: resources required for the operating system upgrade (host OS resources) and resources required for virtual machine operation (VM resources). By separating these resource sets, the system can upgrade the host OS using the first group while the virtual machines continue operating with the second group, eliminating service suspension and maintaining productivity during the upgrade process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a resource management intermediary that coordinates between the host OS upgrade process and virtual machine operations. This intermediary manages the allocation and isolation of hardware and software resources, ensuring that upgrade operations do not interfere with running virtual machine services, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable software updates and maintained service performance
2Reliability
If the host machine stops hardware and software for upgrade, then the operating system can be completely updated, but the task items executed by virtual machines are suspended, increasing wait time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-allocating and isolating the resource sets before the upgrade process begins. The host machine identifies and separates VM resources from host OS resources in advance, ensuring that virtual machines have dedicated resources ready before the upgrade starts. This preliminary separation prevents any interruption to virtual machine tasks during the upgrade, eliminating wait time while ensuring complete OS updates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining virtual machine operations throughout the entire host OS upgrade process. By isolating VM resources from the upgrade process, the system allows virtual machine tasks to continue executing without interruption, achieving both complete OS updates and continuous task execution, thus eliminating the time loss that would otherwise occur
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for performing a software upgrade includes obtaining to-be-upgraded software of a host machine, obtaining a first hardware resource and a first software resource that need to be used by a first virtual machine to execute a first task, decoupling the first hardware resource and the first software resource from the host machine before the to-be-upgraded software of the host machine is upgraded, and executing the first task with the first virtual machine during upgrade of the to-be-upgraded software of the host machine. The first task is executed with the first hardware resource and the first software resource that are decoupled from the host machine