Hypervisor Restart Detection via Central Controller Session ID Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed network encryption systems, hypervisor restart events are challenging to handle due to the lack of direct control messaging channels between hypervisors, leading to difficulties in re-establishing security associations after a restart.
Innovation Solution
A method where a central controller receives and compares session identifiers from hypervisors, determining restarts and updating stored session identifiers to notify associated hypervisors, allowing for the re-establishment of security associations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hypervisor restarts, then the hypervisor needs to re-establish security associations with other hypervisors, but there are no direct control messaging channels between hypervisors to notify them of the restart
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central controller as an intermediary that receives session identifiers from hypervisors, detects restarts by comparing session IDs, and notifies other hypervisors of the restart event. This mediator resolves the communication gap between hypervisors without requiring direct control channels between them.
2Reliability
If session identifiers are centrally managed, then restart detection is straightforward, but the central controller processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having each hypervisor generate its own session identifier locally and send it to the central controller. The hypervisor itself maintains its session ID state, reducing the central controller's burden to generate and manage session identifiers for all hypervisors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having hypervisors pre-generate session identifiers before restart events occur. When a restart happens, the new session ID is already available for immediate comparison by the central controller, eliminating the need for complex post-restart identification procedures.
3Speed
If hypervisors maintain direct communication channels, then restart notification is direct, but the system complexity and security vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The central controller serves as a mediator that receives notifications from restarting hypervisors and distributes them to other hypervisors. This indirect communication path maintains fast notification speed while avoiding the complexity and security risks of direct peer-to-peer control channels between all hypervisor pairs.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to handling a hypervisor restart event in a distributed network system. Embodiments include receiving, by a central controller, a session identifier from a first hypervisor. Embodiments further include comparing, by the central controller, the session identifier to a stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor. Embodiments further include determining, by the central controller based on the session identifier not matching the stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor, that the first hypervisor has restarted. Embodiments further include updating, by the central controller, the stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor to match the session identifier. Embodiments further include identifying, by the central controller, a second hypervisor that is associated with the first hypervisor. Embodiments further include sending, by the central controller, a notification to the second hypervisor that the first hypervisor has restarted.