Virtual Disk Volume Synchronization for Live Merge Interruption

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Solution Overview

Problem

In virtual machine environments, interrupted live merge operations can lead to inconsistencies in the identification of virtual disk volumes between the hypervisor and the management server, potentially causing corruption when importing additional volumes into the virtual disk.

Innovation Solution

A live merge interruption detector module is implemented to compare and synchronize the series of volumes identified by the hypervisor and the management server, ensuring consistency by removing any additional volumes from the metadata if they are not present in the hypervisor's volume chain, thereby preventing corruption during the import process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a live merge operation is performed on a virtual disk, then the series of volumes is updated to reflect current changes, but the operation may be interrupted causing inconsistency between the hypervisor and management server volume identifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual disk integrityVSAvoidvolume chain synchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system compares the series of volumes identified by the hypervisor with the series of volumes identified by the management server, using this feedback to detect interruptions and trigger synchronization operations that restore consistency between the two systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Before importing additional volumes into the virtual disk, the system performs a preliminary comparison of volume chains between the hypervisor and management server to detect any interruptions, preventing corruption before it occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If additional volumes are imported into the virtual disk without verification, then the import process is fast and simple, but corruption may occur due to inconsistent volume identification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume import speedVSAvoidvirtual disk consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary comparison of the series of volumes between the hypervisor and management server before importing additional volumes, ensuring consistency is verified in advance to prevent corruption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system proactively detects and prevents potential corruption by comparing volume chains before the import operation, countering the harmful effect of inconsistency before it can cause damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS9886298B2Detecting an interrupted operation associated with a virtual machine

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 RED HAT INC

AI summary

A first identification of a series of volumes associated with a virtual disk that is associated with a virtual machine is received. A second identification of the series of volumes associated with the virtual disk is received. An operation associated with the virtual disk may be identified as being interrupted in view of a comparison of the first identification with the second identification. In response to identifying that the operation has been interrupted, a volume from at least one of the first or second identifications may be removed.