Shared Ethernet Adapter Aggregation in Virtualized Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtualized computer environments, existing technologies do not optimally utilize network bandwidth during failover configurations, leading to unutilized bandwidth and delays in transitioning to a backup Virtual I/O Server, resulting in lost data packets due to the need for updating MAC tables.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that manage shared Ethernet adapters by selecting an active Virtual I/O Server using a user-configurable algorithm, such as round-robin or hash-based, to route data packets through a trunk adapter, ensuring seamless failover and efficient bandwidth utilization by dynamically updating a switch table in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a failover configuration with a single primary VIOS is used, then system reliability is improved through backup capability, but network bandwidth utilization deteriorates because the backup VIOS bandwidth remains unutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple VIOS systems into a pooled resource architecture where both primary and backup VIOS resources are actively utilized together to handle network traffic, transforming the traditional single-active/redundant-standby model into a multi-active pooled model that merges resources for optimal utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which VIOS resources are active based on real-time conditions and traffic patterns, allowing the configuration to adapt between different operational states (single-active, multi-active, failover) rather than being statically fixed, thereby optimizing bandwidth utilization while maintaining reliability
2Measurement precision
If MAC table updates are performed during failover transition, then routing accuracy is improved, but data transmission speed deteriorates due to transition delays and packet loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring and pre-warming backup VIOS resources before failover is needed, and by proactively managing MAC table entries to anticipate transitions, thereby reducing the urgency and impact of MAC table updates during actual failover events
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the pooled resource management system) that mediates between the VIOS resources and the network traffic, handling MAC table updates and routing transitions in a controlled manner that minimizes disruption to data transmission speed
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for managing shared Ethernet adapters in a virtualized computer environment, a computer programmed with a hypervisor program receives a first request from a virtual client to transmit data. In response to receiving the first request, the computer programmed with the hypervisor program selects a first active virtual server from a first plurality of concurrently active virtual servers of the virtualized computer environment. The computer programmed with the hypervisor program copies the data from a memory of the virtual client to a trunk adapter of a first shared Ethernet adapter of the selected first active virtual server.