Virtual Machine Migration Network Preconfiguration for Reduced Downtime

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual machine migration methods experience significant network interruption times due to extensive network configuration processes during live migration, which can affect service continuity and downtime.

Innovation Solution

A method that divides the network migration process into two phases: pre-configuration before creating the new virtual machine to minimize disruption, followed by post-creation configurations to establish connections, ensuring the new virtual machine and existing machines maintain consistent network communication with reduced downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network configuration is performed after creating the new virtual machine, then the network connection of the new virtual machine can be established, but the network interruption time increases and service continuity is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidnetwork interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs network configuration on the first virtual switch before the new virtual machine is created. This preliminary action prepares the network environment in advance, so that when the new virtual machine is created, network connectivity is already established, thereby reducing network interruption time and improving service continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the network configuration process into two phases: pre-configuration (before virtual machine creation) and post-configuration (after virtual machine creation). By segmenting the configuration steps, critical network setup is completed beforehand while less critical configuration occurs after, minimizing the impact on service continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If extensive network configuration is performed during virtual machine migration, then the new virtual machine can be properly integrated into the network, but the migration downtime increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork connection stabilityVSAvoidmigration downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs network configuration on the first virtual switch before the new virtual machine is created. This preliminary action ensures that network paths and forwarding rules are prepared in advance, reducing the configuration time required after migration and thereby reducing overall migration downtime while maintaining network connection stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If network configuration is performed before creating the new virtual machine, then network interruption time is reduced, but the configuration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork interruption timeVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments network configuration into pre-configuration (before virtual machine creation) and post-configuration (after virtual machine creation). This segmentation allows critical network setup to be performed in advance when the system is in a controlled state, reducing network interruption time while distributing configuration complexity across different phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a control node as an intermediary that manages the network configuration process. The control node coordinates the pre-configuration activities and communicates with the virtual machine creation process, simplifying the overall complexity by providing a centralized management interface for the segmented configuration tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3790243B1Virtual machine migration method and data center
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 HUAWEI CLOUD COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP3790243B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3790243B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3790243B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a virtual machine migration method and a data center. After obtaining a virtual machine migration message, a control node performs first network configuration on a virtual switch of a new virtual machine. After performing the first network configuration, the control node creates the new virtual machine, and performs second network configuration on a second virtual switch in a virtual network in which a to-be-migrated virtual machine is located. In the present invention, before the new virtual machine is created, a network connection of the to-be-migrated virtual machine is maintained, and a part of network configuration for the new virtual machine is completed. This shortens a network interruption time in a virtual machine migration process, and improves stability of a service of the data center.