Nested Virtualization Manager Live Migration Update
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Solution Overview
Problem
Updating virtualization manager code in a nested virtualization environment can be disruptive and requires significant resources, including a spare physical server for live migration, which is costly and inefficient when the server is unused most of the time.
Innovation Solution
A parent virtualization manager creates multiple nested virtualization environments on the same physical server, allowing for the creation of a new nested virtualization environment with updated code and live-migration of virtual machines without the need for a spare server, using resources only from the largest virtual machine to be migrated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a spare physical server is used for live migration during virtualization manager code updates, then virtual machine downtime is minimized, but server cost and resource inefficiency increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the update target environment with the production environment by performing live migration within the same physical server. The parent virtualization manager creates a new child virtualization manager instance on the same hardware, migrates VMs to it, and then updates the original child manager's code, eliminating the need for a separate spare server while maintaining continuous VM availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested virtualization where a parent virtualization manager contains multiple child virtualization managers. The parent manager orchestrates the creation of a new child manager instance, the migration of virtual machines between child managers, and the code update process, allowing updates to occur within the nested structure without external spare infrastructure.
2Reliability
If virtualization manager code is updated by rebooting, then code updates are achieved, but virtual machine availability is disrupted for several minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by creating the new child virtualization manager instance and preparing it with the updated code before any migration occurs. The parent manager provisions the new environment in advance, so when migration happens, the target environment is already ready to immediately accept and run the virtual machines without any startup delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The parent virtualization manager acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the old child virtualization manager and the new child virtualization manager. It manages the creation of the new manager, orchestrates the live migration process, and handles the transition, allowing code updates to occur without direct disruption to the running virtual machines.
3Ease of operation
If live migration streams memory state over network connection, then virtual machines can be moved without shutting down, but performance penalty occurs during the streaming process
Solution Approach 1:
By performing live migration within the same physical server (merging source and destination environments), the patent eliminates network streaming of memory state. The migration occurs through internal memory-to-memory copying within the same host system, avoiding network I/O bottlenecks while still providing virtual machine mobility between child virtualization managers.
Data Source
AI summary
A parent virtualization manager can create multiple nested virtualization environments on the same physical server. When nested virtualization controller code in a first nested virtualization environment needs to be updated, the parent virtualization manager creates a second nested virtualization environment, installs the updated virtualization controller code in the second nested virtualization environment, and live-migrates virtual machines from the first nested virtualization environment to the second nested virtualization environment. The amount of resources needed for the live migration within the second nested virtualization manager is the amount of resources in the largest virtual machine to be live-migrated, since resources in the first nested virtualization environment can be reclaimed by the parent virtualization manager and allocated to the second nested virtualization manager after a virtual machine has been live-migrated to the second nested virtualization environment.