Proxy VM Driver Replacement for Secure Cross-Platform Migration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual machine migration methods face security risks due to the need for obtaining root passwords and suffer from long disk data transmission times, especially when dealing with large data volumes.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a controller that indicates a proxy virtual machine to mount a volume, replace the original platform's driver with a target platform's driver, and then mount the replaced volume to a target virtual machine, eliminating the need for password acquisition and data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If root password is obtained to transmit disk data, then virtual machine migration is enabled, but security risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual machine migration capabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential migration function (driver replacement) from the traditional data transmission approach. By mounting the volume on a proxy virtual machine and replacing drivers directly, the system eliminates the need for root password acquisition and data transmission, thereby removing the security vulnerability while preserving migration capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The proxy virtual machine serves as an intermediary between the source and target platforms. It mounts the volume, performs driver replacement, and unmounts the volume without requiring direct access to user credentials or transmission of disk data, thus enabling secure cross-platform migration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If disk data is transmitted for migration, then virtual machine can be migrated, but migration time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual machine migration capabilityVSAvoiddisk data transmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary component (driver) for migration success and leaves the bulk data transmission step out of the migration process. By replacing the platform-specific driver on the mounted volume, the system achieves migration without copying large amounts of disk data, dramatically reducing migration time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of copying disk data, the patent copies/replaces the driver component. The proxy virtual machine copies the platform-specific driver from the source volume and replaces it with the target platform's driver, achieving migration through component copying rather than data copying

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12561159B2Virtual machine migration method and related device

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a virtual machine migration method. One example method includes: indicating, by a controller, a proxy virtual machine to mount a volume; replacing, by using the proxy virtual machine, a driver of an original platform in the volume with a driver of a target platform; and then, mounting a replaced volume to a target virtual machine.