Hypervisor Lifecycle Management in Heterogeneous Clusters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lifecycle managers do not support heterogeneous clusters in a datacenter, where hosts from different vendors, with different hardware generations, or using different hypervisor versions exist, making it challenging to manage hypervisor lifecycles without affecting running virtual machines.
Innovation Solution
A method of hypervisor lifecycle management that involves a lifecycle manager agent obtaining a desired state document, comparing selection criteria against host hardware information, and applying the appropriate image to each host in a heterogeneous cluster, ensuring consistent and efficient lifecycle management across diverse hardware configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a lifecycle manager applies the same image to each host in a homogeneous cluster, then management simplicity is maintained, but the system cannot handle heterogeneous clusters with different hardware platforms and hypervisor versions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the image selection process host-specific. Each host in a heterogeneous cluster receives a tailored image selected based on its unique hardware platform, vendor, model, and hypervisor version characteristics. The LCM agent compares selection criteria in the desired state document against the specific host's hardware information to determine the appropriate image, ensuring each host gets locally optimized software rather than a universal one-size-fits-all solution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple images are maintained for different host configurations, then heterogeneous cluster support is enabled, but image selection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each host's LCM agent to autonomously select the appropriate image for its configuration. The agent automatically compares the host's hardware information against the selection criteria defined in the desired state document and independently determines which image to apply. This eliminates the need for manual image selection and reduces the operational complexity of managing multiple images across heterogeneous hosts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes by varying the image selection based on specific host parameters such as hardware platform, vendor, model, and hypervisor version. The desired state document contains selection criteria that define which images apply to which host configurations. The LCM agent evaluates these parameters and dynamically selects the appropriate image, transforming a complex manual selection process into an automated parameter-based decision system.
3Reliability
If lifecycle management operations are performed on hosts with running VMs, then continuous service is maintained, but the risk of affecting VM operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the LCM agent obtain and evaluate the desired state document and select the appropriate image before actually applying it to the host. This advance preparation and selection process allows the system to plan the lifecycle management operation carefully, ensuring the correct image is chosen based on host configuration before the actual application occurs, thereby minimizing disruption to running VMs while maintaining operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method of hypervisor lifecycle management in a virtualized computing system having a cluster of hosts includes: obtaining, by a lifecycle manager (LCM) agent executing in a host of the hosts, a desired state document, the desired state document defining a desired state of software in the host, the software including a hypervisor; comparing selection criteria in the desired state document against hardware information obtained from a hardware platform of the host to select an image of a plurality of images defined in the desired state document; and applying, by LCM agent, the selected image to the host.