Virtual Tunnel Router for VM Network Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual machine platforms face limitations in deploying multiple software application sessions and sharing guest image content across networks due to identification and network addressing issues, leading to performance degradation and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
A virtual tunnel network router module is implemented to establish private virtual communications between virtual machines and external computers, using a tunneling layer to form a private virtual network segment across hosts, enabling secure and efficient deployment of multiple sessions and sharing of guest image content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple virtual machine sessions are deployed on a single host computer, then the utilization of computing resources is improved, but network identification and addressing issues arise that prevent clones from participating on the same network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tunnel router as an intermediary component that mediates network communication between virtual machine clones. The tunnel router receives packets from virtual network interface cards, processes routing decisions, and forwards packets through tunnel interfaces to other hosts, thereby resolving network identification and addressing issues that would otherwise prevent clones from participating on the same network
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network communication function by separating the tunnel routing logic from the virtual machine operations. The tunnel router is implemented as a distinct virtual machine or process that handles network packet routing independently, allowing multiple VM sessions to operate without direct network addressing conflicts
2Reliability
If guest images are distributed across multiple host computers to maintain anonymity and security, then security is improved, but network addressing and communication coordination become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tunnel router is designed with multi-functionality to handle both local and remote packet routing, support multiple tunnel interfaces, and manage communication coordination across distributed hosts. This universal design allows guest images to be distributed across multiple hosts while maintaining security and anonymity without proportionally increasing complexity
3Productivity
If more virtual machine sessions are run on a single physical machine, then resource efficiency is improved, but performance degradation occurs due to memory and CPU constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The tunnel router acts as a specialized intermediary that handles network communication tasks separately from application workloads. By dedicating specific CPU and memory resources to the tunnel router process, the system can maintain high resource efficiency while preventing performance degradation in both the router and virtual machine sessions
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual host computer is presented that includes a virtualization software platform, at least one virtual machine executed by the virtualization software platform, a private network segment configured to prevent communications with at least one external computer, a public network segment configured to facilitate communications with the at least one external computer, and a virtual routing module that is executed as a virtual image by the virtualization software platform. The virtual routing module is configured to communicate with the at least one virtual machine via the private network segment, communicate with the public network segment, and execute a tunneling layer to form a private virtual network segment between the at least one virtual machine and the at least one external computer.