Network Switch Aware Virtual Resource Migration Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
In information processing systems, migrating virtual machines or containers to inappropriate host devices can lead to system performance issues due to inadequate utilization monitoring, particularly causing network switch overload.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a migration controller that monitors network switch and host device utilization to direct virtual resource migrations based on thresholds, ensuring that virtual resources are moved from highly utilized network switches to those with lower utilization, thereby avoiding overload conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtual resources are migrated based only on host device utilization, then host device resource distribution is optimized, but network switch overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network switch utilization monitoring as an intermediary factor between host device selection and migration execution. The migration controller now considers both host device metrics and network switch metrics, using the network switch status as a mediating condition that can block or redirect migrations that would otherwise be beneficial for host device balancing but harmful to network performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring network switch utilization and using this information to adjust migration decisions. When network switches approach capacity thresholds, the system receives feedback about this condition and modifies its migration behavior accordingly, preventing migrations that would exacerbate network congestion while still allowing beneficial migrations when network capacity is available.
2Ease of operation
If migration decisions are made without network switch monitoring, then migration simplicity is maintained, but system performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The migration controller is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to evaluate host device utilization for load balancing while also evaluating network switch utilization for performance protection. This multi-functional approach allows the single controller to make comprehensive migration decisions that consider both simplicity of host-based metrics and reliability of network-based metrics without requiring separate control systems.
3Productivity
If virtual resources are migrated to balance host device load, then host device utilization is improved, but network congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring and evaluation of network switch utilization before executing migrations. By assessing network capacity in advance and selecting migration targets that will not overload network switches, the system prevents network congestion before it occurs rather than reacting to congestion after migrations have already consumed excessive bandwidth.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises a plurality of host devices each implementing one or more virtual resources that are migratable between the host devices, one or more networks comprising a plurality of network switches each coupled to one or more of the host devices, and a migration controller associated with one or more of the host devices. The migration controller is configured to monitor utilization of the network switches by their associated host devices and to direct migration of the virtual resources between the host devices based at least in part on the monitored utilization of the network switches. Responsive to detection of a first network switch having a utilization above a threshold, the migration controller identifies a second network switch having a utilization below the threshold and directs migration of at least one virtual resource from a first host devices associated with the first network switch to a second host device associated with the second network switch.