Virtual Machine Migration Using Address Mapping Instead of Memory Copy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual machine live migration technologies face issues such as long migration durations, unreliable data transfer, and potential suspension or failure due to network interruptions, especially in server architectures where memory data is iteratively copied, leading to delays and instability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the transfer of status information and address mapping from a source to a target device, allowing the target device to run a virtual machine that directly accesses physical addresses without transferring memory data, utilizing high-speed communication buses and address mapping techniques to accelerate and stabilize the migration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory data is iteratively copied during virtual machine migration, then the virtual machine can be migrated between devices, but the migration duration becomes long and the system becomes unstable due to network interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential migration requirements (status information and address mapping) from the complete memory data set. By transferring only the critical control information rather than the entire memory state, the system achieves rapid migration without the instability and time consumption associated with iterative memory copying.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary setup by establishing address mapping relationships between source and target devices before migration. The status information and address mapping are prepared in advance, allowing the virtual machine to be quickly activated at the target device without requiring real-time memory synchronization during the migration process.
2Reliability
If memory data is transferred during virtual machine migration, then the virtual machine state can be preserved, but the data transfer volume becomes large causing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential state information (register data, configuration parameters, and address mapping) from the complete memory data. This selective extraction maintains virtual machine state continuity while reducing data transfer volume from gigabytes to kilobytes, eliminating the time delays associated with transferring large memory datasets.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of copying the entire memory data set, the patent creates a lightweight copy of only the critical status information and address mapping structures. This selective copying approach preserves the necessary virtual machine state while minimizing the amount of data that needs to be transferred during migration.
3Productivity
If status information and address mapping are transferred without memory data, then migration speed increases, but the system complexity increases due to address mapping management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an address mapping table as an intermediary structure that bridges the source and target device address spaces. This mapping table translates virtual addresses to physical addresses across devices, managing the complexity of cross-device addressing while enabling fast migration without requiring direct memory access or complex hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically copying memory data with an information-based system using status registers and address mapping tables. This substitution eliminates the need for data-intensive memory operations and replaces them with lightweight information transfer and address translation, significantly improving migration speed while keeping complexity manageable through software-based address management.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for migrating a virtual machine including: receiving, at a target device, status information of a source virtual machine from a source device. The method further includes: obtaining an address mapping corresponding to the source virtual machine. The address mapping includes a mapping between a virtual address of the source virtual machine and a physical address of the source virtual machine. The method further includes: implementing, based on the status information and the address mapping, virtual machine migration by running, at the target device, a target virtual machine that accesses the physical address.