Pseudo Identifier Mapping for Seamless VM Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing technologies face challenges in seamlessly migrating virtual machines across data centers due to complexities with cross-subnet live and offline migration, primarily due to hierarchical addressing used by layer 3 routing protocols, which restricts widespread use and requires manual or automatic reconfiguration of IP addresses, breaking connectivity and routing hierarchies.
Innovation Solution
Assigning pseudo identifiers to virtual machines, including pseudo MAC and IP addresses, and using controllers to map and synchronize these identifiers across data centers, allowing seamless routing and maintaining connectivity without requiring layer 2 semantics, thus enabling layer-agnostic and seamless live and offline VM mobility across multiple data centers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If hierarchical addressing is used by layer 3 routing protocols, then routing structure is maintained, but cross-subnet VM migration becomes complex and restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary component that manages VM migration across data centers. The controller intercepts and processes migration requests, maintaining the existing hierarchical routing structure while enabling cross-subnet migration through centralized coordination. This mediator approach allows the system to preserve routing stability while adapting to migration needs without requiring changes to the underlying hierarchical addressing protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the migration process into distinct phases: local network migration within the source data center, inter-data-center migration coordinated by the controller, and destination network integration. This segmentation allows each phase to be handled with appropriate addressing and routing mechanisms, maintaining hierarchical structure at the network level while enabling flexible cross-subnet migration at the VM level through controller-managed address translation and routing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network configuration must be similar between data centers, then VM migration is supported, but widespread use is severely restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the addressing parameters dynamically during migration. Instead of requiring fixed network configuration similarities, the system translates VM identifiers and IP addresses between different data center network configurations. The controller manages parameter transformations including IP address translation, MAC address mapping, and routing table updates, allowing VMs to migrate between data centers with different network topologies and addressing schemes.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple data center configurations and migration scenarios. It provides multi-functional capabilities including address translation, routing management, and migration coordination across diverse network environments. This universal controller eliminates the need for each data center to maintain identical network configurations, enabling widespread VM migration across heterogeneous data center infrastructures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If IP addresses are reconfigured for offline migration, then cross data center migration is possible, but the process is non-trivial and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the controller with destination data center network information and establishing routing paths before migration. The controller prepares address translation mappings and routing table entries in advance, so that when a VM migration is initiated, the actual IP address reconfiguration happens automatically and rapidly during the migration process rather than requiring manual pre-configuration at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The migration system implements self-service automation where the controller automatically performs IP address reconfiguration, routing updates, and network connectivity restoration without manual intervention. The system self-manages the complex tasks of translating addresses between different data center networks, updating routing tables, and ensuring connectivity throughout the migration process, eliminating the time-consuming manual reconfiguration that would otherwise be required.
4Reliability
If real identifiers are used for VM routing, then connectivity is maintained, but cross data center routing becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as an intermediary that translates between real VM identifiers and routing-appropriate identifiers. When a VM migrates to a different data center, the controller intercepts routing requests, translates the real identifier to an appropriate virtual identifier or translated IP address that works within the destination network's routing structure, and forwards the translated requests. This maintains connectivity through the translation layer while keeping the underlying routing structures simple and independent in each data center.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and arrangements for facilitating virtual machine migration across data centers. A virtual machine is designated for migration from a first data center to a second data center, the virtual machine including a real identifier. A pseudo identifier is assigned to the virtual machine, and the pseudo identifier is mapped to the real identifier at a controller of the first data center. The real identifier is replaced in a data packet with the pseudo identifier for a routing task. Communication is maintained between the controller of the first data center and a controller of the second data center, and the controllers are synchronized to update a correct location of the virtual machine. The virtual machine is migrated from the first data center to the second data center.