OS Image Migration via Hibernation State Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for migrating workloads, especially stateful applications, often result in significant downtime and resource expenses due to the need for shutting down machines or creating clustered environments, which is not feasible or cost-effective for all architectural scenarios.
Innovation Solution
The use of hibernation semantics in operating systems, such as ACPI, allows for pausing a process on one device and migrating its persistent image to another device without shutting down the OS, enabling continued operation from the paused state on the new device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If workload migration is performed by shutting down the machine first, then the migration can be completed, but significant downtime occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by capturing and preserving the system state (memory contents, register values, flags) before shutting down the source system. This allows the target system to resume execution seamlessly after migration, minimizing downtime. The state capture occurs while the system is still running, enabling continuity of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a duplicate of the system state (persistent image) from the source system and transferring it to the target system. The persistent image includes all necessary execution context, allowing the target system to continue running the same workload without significant interruption. This copying approach enables migration while maintaining operational continuity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If clustered environments are created to access shared data, then stateful applications can migrate, but added cost and complexity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the system state (memory, registers, flags) from the running system and transfers it as a persistent image to the target system. This extraction approach eliminates the need for complex clustered environments with shared data access, as the entire state is copied and transferred directly. The target system becomes a standalone continuation of the source system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal migration mechanism that works for any system state, making it applicable to both stateless and stateful applications without requiring specialized clustered infrastructure. The persistent image approach provides a general-purpose solution that can migrate any workload type, reducing the need for architecture-specific clustering solutions.
3Productivity
If stateless applications are used for migration, then alternate computer nodes can pick up workloads, but modifications to existing software are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of system state preservation by capturing and maintaining the complete execution state (memory contents, register values, program counters, flags) during migration. This allows stateful applications to be migrated without modifying the application software itself, as the state capture and transfer mechanism handles continuity automatically. The system transitions from requiring stateless modifications to preserving full state information.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods, including program instructions, are provided for migrating operating system images. One method embodiment includes performing a process on a first device. The operation of the process is paused as a persistent image which is then migrated to a second device.