Switch VM Migration Detection via VDP Flag

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual machine migration methods fail to accurately acquire migration information from VDP messages, leading to delayed establishment of binding relationships and timeliness issues in service delivery.

Innovation Solution

The method involves adding a flag bit in the Reason field of the TLV information string within VDP messages to indicate whether a virtual machine is migrating, enabling switches to accurately determine migration status and update DHCP Snooping user binding tables or join multicast groups accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the existing VDP message format is used without modification, then the message structure remains simple and compatible, but the switch fails to accurately acquire migration information leading to delayed binding relationship establishment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemigration information acquisition accuracyVSAvoidmessage structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The VDP message structure is segmented into distinct Type-Length-Value (TLV) fields, with the Reason field specifically divided into sub-fields including a migration indication flag. This segmentation allows the switch to accurately extract migration information from a specific portion of the message without parsing the entire message structure, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable complexity through structured organization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The migration indication information is extracted as a separate, identifiable component within the VDP message framework. By taking out the migration status as a distinct flag bit in the Reason field, the switch can quickly identify and process migration events without being overwhelmed by the complete message structure, thus improving acquisition accuracy while keeping the overall message format relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If the switch waits for complete VDP message processing before establishing binding relationships, then message parsing is thorough, but service delivery timeliness is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice delivery timelinessVSAvoidbinding relationship establishment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The switch performs preliminary processing of the VDP message by immediately checking the migration indication flag in the Reason field as soon as it becomes available. This preliminary action allows the switch to start preparing for binding relationship establishment before the complete message is fully parsed and processed, thereby improving service delivery timeliness while maintaining reliability through subsequent verification steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The migration indication flag provides immediate feedback to the switch about VM migration status, enabling the switch to adjust its processing priority and establish binding relationships more quickly. This feedback mechanism allows the system to respond promptly to migration events while maintaining accurate binding relationships through continued monitoring and verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3594808B1Virtual machine migration method, switch, and virtual machine system
Publication Date: 2021.04.21 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3594808B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3594808B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3594808B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The present invention provides a virtual machine migration method, a switch, a virtual machine system, belonging to the field of communications technologies. The method according to embodiments of the present invention includes: receiving a message sent by a server, where the message is used to enable a switch to discover a connected virtual machine interface; obtaining, from the message, an identifier for indicating whether a virtual machine is migrating; and determining, according to the identifier indicating whether the virtual machine is migrating, whether the virtual machine is a virtual machine migrating to the server. The switch includes a receiving module and a first obtaining module. The virtual machine system includes a server and a switch. According to the embodiments of the present invention, it may be determined whether an added virtual machine on a server is a newly created one or a migrating one by receiving a message sent by the server and according to an identifier field in the message. In this way, compared with the prior art, it may be accurately acquired whether a virtual machine is migrating to the server, and a binding relationship is established in advance for the migrating virtual machine, thereby improving timeliness of service access after VM migration.