Virtual Core Allocation for Network Interrupt Isolation

Solution Overview

Problem

In virtual computer systems, the performance of virtual cores and tasks allocated to them is not ensured due to the sharing of physical cores among virtual machines, particularly affecting packet transfer processing by virtual network interface cards, as the allocation of interrupt cores is not effectively managed, leading to performance degradation under increased load from other virtual machines.

Innovation Solution

An allocation control apparatus and method that prioritizes tasks with a threshold priority by allocating them to a first virtual core that occupies a physical core and designates this core as the interrupt destination for the virtual network interface card, ensuring that high-priority tasks maintain performance by managing the allocation of virtual cores and interrupt cores.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If physical cores are shared among virtual machines to improve resource utilization, then productivity increases, but the performance of virtual cores and packet transfer processing deteriorates due to load influence from other virtual machines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidperformance of virtual cores

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the virtual core allocation into two distinct categories: interrupt cores dedicated to virtual network interface cards and general-purpose virtual cores for tasks. This segmentation ensures that interrupt processing for packet transfer is isolated from the load of other virtual machines sharing physical cores, while still allowing general-purpose virtual cores to be shared for improved resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different allocation strategies to different virtual cores based on their function. Interrupt cores are allocated with fixed assignment to dedicated physical cores to ensure stable packet transfer performance, while general-purpose virtual cores use flexible shared assignment to maximize resource utilization. This differentiated approach resolves the contradiction between sharing and performance guarantee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If interrupt cores are allocated in a shared manner to improve resource flexibility, then adaptability increases, but packet transfer performance deteriorates due to physical core load from other virtual machines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource flexibilityVSAvoidpacket transfer performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the virtual core allocation into two distinct categories: interrupt cores dedicated to virtual network interface cards and general-purpose virtual cores for tasks. This segmentation ensures that interrupt processing for packet transfer is isolated from the load of other virtual machines sharing physical cores, while still allowing general-purpose virtual cores to be shared for improved resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different allocation strategies to different virtual cores based on their function. Interrupt cores are allocated with fixed assignment to dedicated physical cores to ensure stable packet transfer performance, while general-purpose virtual cores use flexible shared assignment to maximize resource utilization. This differentiated approach resolves the contradiction between sharing and performance guarantee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the number of virtual machines increases to serve more users, then adaptability improves, but the load on physical cores increases causing performance degradation of virtual cores

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of virtual machinesVSAvoidperformance of virtual cores

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the virtual core allocation into two distinct categories: interrupt cores dedicated to virtual network interface cards and general-purpose virtual cores for tasks. This segmentation ensures that interrupt processing for packet transfer is isolated from the load of other virtual machines sharing physical cores, while still allowing general-purpose virtual cores to be shared for improved resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different allocation strategies to different virtual cores based on their function. Interrupt cores are allocated with fixed assignment to dedicated physical cores to ensure stable packet transfer performance, while general-purpose virtual cores use flexible shared assignment to maximize resource utilization. This differentiated approach resolves the contradiction between sharing and performance guarantee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12153947B2Assignment control device, assignment control method, and assignment control program

Publication Date: 2024.11.26 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP

AI summary

An allocation control apparatus (1) includes a virtual core allocation unit (112) configured to allocate, out of a virtual core which is created on a virtual machine and occupies a physical core and a virtual core which is created on the virtual machine and shares a physical core, a task whose priority is equal to or greater than a threshold to a virtual core, and an interrupt core allocation unit (113) configured to allocate the virtual core to which the task is allocated as an interrupt destination of a virtual network interface card used by the task.