Modular Virtual Hard Disk Segmentation for Stable Resource Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtualization topologies fail to effectively manage inter-virtual disk relations and enforce life cycle rules, leading to instability and inefficiencies in resource management and maintenance, as they often result in co-mingling of resources and complexities in upgrading or modifying virtual machines.
Innovation Solution
A modularized virtualization topology using virtual hard disks (VHDs) where each VHD encapsulates a single logical functionality or data set, allowing for easy management, upgrading, and maintenance by embedding logical rules and enforcing life cycle policies through rules-based management of VHDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtual machines use pooled physical resources in traditional virtualization topology, then resource sharing efficiency is improved, but inter-virtual disk relations cannot be effectively managed and resources co-mingle leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments virtual disk resources into separate virtual hard disks (VHDs) that are logically isolated but physically pooled. Each VHD is treated as an independent manageable unit with its own lifecycle, preventing resource co-mingling while maintaining efficient sharing through the virtualization layer.
2Productivity
If virtual machines share physical resources through hypervisor, then resource utilization is improved, but upgrading or modifying virtual machines becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides virtual machine resources into separate VHDs that can be independently managed, upgraded, or modified. This segmentation allows individual VHDs to be updated without affecting other components, significantly reducing upgrade complexity while maintaining high resource utilization through shared physical storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary provisioning and configuration of VHDs before they are needed by virtual machines. VHDs can be pre-created, pre-configured with specific logical functions, and staged for deployment, which simplifies the upgrade process by allowing changes to be prepared in advance without disrupting running systems.
3Productivity
If virtual machines co-mingle resources in traditional topology, then resource pooling is efficient, but lifecycle management and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments pooled resources into distinct VHDs that maintain logical separation while physically residing in the pooled storage. Each VHD has its own lifecycle rules and metadata, enabling independent management, tracking, and maintenance operations without disrupting other resources in the pool.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (virtualization management system) that sits between the pooled physical resources and individual VHDs. This intermediary handles lifecycle management operations, enforcing rules and policies that govern creation, modification, and deletion of VHDs, thereby simplifying maintenance while preserving pooling efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture are disclosed to manage inter-virtual disk relations in a modularized virtualization topology using virtual hard disks. An example method includes, in response to a request to access a first virtual hard disk in a virtual computing environment, determining, with a machine, whether an inter-virtual hard disk rule associated with a second virtual hard disk is invoked and whether a condition of the inter-virtual hard disk rule is satisfied. The example method also includes identifying, with the machine, a response action if the inter-virtual hard disk rule is invoked and the condition is satisfied, and executing the response action with the machine.