Live Migration Network Restoration via MAC Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
During live migration of virtual computers, the network connection cannot be restored if the MAC address or VLAN tag used by the guest OS differs from the one managed by the virtualization mechanism, leading to issues in updating the MAC address table of the physical network switch, especially in environments using Teaming or tag VLANs, where manual input of information is error-prone and requires cooperation between the user and the virtualization manager.
Innovation Solution
The first virtualization mechanism extracts and manages specific information, such as MAC addresses and VLAN tags, from packets received from the virtual computer and transmits this information to the second virtualization mechanism during live migration, allowing the network connection to be restored without manual input by registering this information in the management units and using it to update the network connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual input of MAC address information is performed by user cooperation, then network connection restoration is achieved, but error rate increases and operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualization mechanism automatically extracts MAC address information from packets without requiring manual user input. The system self-services by monitoring packets, identifying MAC addresses, and updating the MAC address table autonomously, eliminating the need for user-cooperation while improving accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors packets and uses the extracted MAC address information to update the MAC address table. This feedback mechanism ensures that the MAC address table reflects current network conditions, enabling automatic restoration of network connections after live migration without manual intervention.
2Ease of operation
If MAC address information is extracted from packets automatically, then operation complexity decreases, but information accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualization mechanism continuously monitors packets and uses the extracted MAC address information to update the MAC address table. This feedback mechanism ensures that the MAC address table reflects current network conditions, maintaining high accuracy in automatic MAC address identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a MAC address management table as an intermediary between packet extraction and network connection restoration. This table stores and manages MAC address information, ensuring accurate tracking and updating of MAC addresses during live migration, thereby maintaining information precision during automatic extraction.
3Reliability
If MAC address table is updated using RARP protocol, then network connection is restored, but time delay occurs during live migration
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualization mechanism extracts and stores MAC address information from packets in advance during the live migration process. By preparing the MAC address table before migration completes, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming RARP protocol exchanges after migration, significantly reducing connection restoration time.
Data Source
AI summary
The network connection of a VM (target VM) that has been live-migrated from a first physical computer to a second physical computer is restored in a virtual computer system in which communication is performed using a certain type of information outside the jurisdiction of a virtualization mechanism. When receiving a packet from the VM, the first virtualization mechanism of the first physical computer extracts a certain type of information from the packet and registers the extracted certain type of information in a first management information unit. The first virtualization mechanism transmits the certain type of information in the first management information unit to the second virtualization mechanism of the second physical computer during live migration. The second virtualization mechanism registers the certain type of information in a second management information unit and transmits a certain type of packet including the certain type of information from at least one of one or more physical I/O devices of the second physical computer in order to restore the network connection of the target VM.