Virtual Server Rack Hardware Rebalancing for Resource Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtualized computing environments, hardware upgrades and software changes lead to imbalanced and underutilized workload domains due to changing performance characteristics, resulting in inefficient resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
A management system that tracks hardware and software changes, reallocates hardware resources among workload domains to maximize utilization by comparing hardware capabilities with a compatibility list and reassigning resources to meet requirements without exceeding them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardware resources are allocated to workload domains based on initial requirements, then workload domain requirements are met, but hardware upgrades and software changes cause imbalanced and underutilized resource allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic hardware allocation by continuously monitoring hardware performance characteristics and automatically reallocating resources when changes are detected. The system transitions from static initial allocation to dynamic adjustment based on actual hardware performance, ensuring both requirement fulfillment and optimal utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where hardware performance characteristics are continuously monitored, compared against compatibility lists, and used to trigger reallocation decisions. This closed-loop control ensures that resource allocation adapts to hardware changes while maintaining workload domain requirements.
2Productivity
If hardware resources are reallocated frequently to optimize utilization, then resource efficiency improves, but system complexity and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes in hardware performance characteristics as triggers for reallocation. By monitoring specific performance parameters and comparing them against compatibility lists, the system determines when reallocation is necessary, providing an automated decision-making mechanism that reduces management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service reallocation by automatically detecting hardware changes, consulting compatibility lists, and reallocating resources without manual intervention. This automation reduces management overhead while maintaining optimal resource utilization.
3Power
If hardware capabilities are expanded through upgrades, then system performance potential increases, but existing workload domain allocations become imbalanced and underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains compatibility lists that pre-determine appropriate workload domain assignments for different hardware configurations. When hardware upgrades occur, the system consults these pre-prepared compatibility lists to quickly reallocate resources, preventing imbalances before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to hardware capability expansions by continuously monitoring performance characteristics and automatically adjusting allocations. This dynamic response ensures that increased hardware power is immediately utilized effectively across workload domains.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to allocate hardware in virtualized computing architectures. An example apparatus to manage a virtual server rack comprises a drift analyzer to determine that hardware resources assigned to a virtualized workload domain exceed the resources requested for the virtualized workload domain; and a rebalancer to reassign one or more of the hardware resources in response to an indication from the drift analyzer.