Shared Storage for Virtual Machine Live Migration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Live migration of virtual machines in virtual computing systems can be delayed and stressful on host physical storage due to the need for swapping in and out memory data during migration, leading to potential storage failures and downtime.
Innovation Solution
Sharing host physical storage across multiple host machines, where swapped out memory data is stored and accessed directly from the shared storage, eliminating the need for swapping it back into the source memory before migration, thereby reducing I/O operations and stress on the storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If memory data is swapped out to host physical storage during virtual machine migration, then memory capacity is extended, but I/O operations increase and storage stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary copying of swapped out memory data from the source host's physical storage to the target host's physical storage before the actual virtual machine migration. This preliminary action ensures that when the virtual machine needs access to swapped out data after migration, the data is already available at the target location, eliminating the need for time-consuming I/O operations during and after migration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the target host's physical storage serves as a temporary repository for swapped out memory data during migration. Instead of directly accessing the source host's storage from the target virtual machine, the data is first transferred to the target host's storage, which then acts as the intermediary access point, reducing I/O latency and storage stress on the original storage system.
2Quantity of substance
If memory data is swapped out to host physical storage during virtual machine migration, then memory capacity is extended, but storage reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the swapped out memory data from the source host's physical storage system and transfers it to the target host's physical storage system before migration. This extraction reduces the I/O load and stress on the source storage system during migration, thereby reducing the risk of storage failure. The target storage system assumes the burden of storing and serving swapped out data, isolating the source storage from migration-related stress.
3Adaptability or versatility
If memory data is copied during virtual machine migration, then virtual machine mobility is enabled, but I/O operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary copying of swapped out memory data from source host storage to target host storage before the virtual machine actually migrates. This preliminary action reduces the amount of data that needs to be accessed via I/O operations during the migration process itself, as the target virtual machine will find the swapped out data already present at the target location, thereby reducing overall migration time.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method include initiating a live migration of a virtual machine from a first host machine to a second host machine. A shared host physical storage includes first swapped out memory data associated with the first virtual machine from a first memory of the first host machine, and metadata including location information of the first swapped out memory data, and an identity of the associated first virtual machine. The system and method include copying memory data associated with the first virtual machine stored in the first memory to the second host machine. The system and method also include accessing, by a second hypervisor at the second host machine, the metadata stored in the shared host physical storage to determine location of the first swapped out memory data associated with the first virtual machine.