VM Live Migration Data Forwarding via Source Identifier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual machine live migration technologies face challenges in ensuring uninterrupted network communication during the migration process, particularly due to delays in updating network configurations on destination physical machines and third-party virtual machines.

Innovation Solution

A data processing method that involves generating and sending data packets with identifiers for virtual machines after migration, allowing source physical machines to forward data packets correctly to destination physical machines, even when network configurations are not immediately updated.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If virtual machine live migration is performed without updating network configurations immediately, then migration speed is improved, but network communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration speedVSAvoidnetwork communication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having the source physical machine generate and send data packets containing the identifier of the migrated virtual machine to the destination physical machine before the destination's virtual switch is fully updated. This allows the destination to prepare for incoming traffic with correct routing information in advance, reducing network interruption time while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The source physical machine acts as an intermediary by temporarily forwarding data packets to the destination physical machine during the migration transition period. This intermediary role ensures that network communication continues seamlessly even while the destination virtual switch is being updated with new configuration information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If network configuration is updated immediately after migration, then network communication reliability is improved, but network interruption time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork communication reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork interruption time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous useful action by ensuring that data packets are continuously forwarded from the source to the destination physical machine during the migration process. The source physical machine keeps sending packets with the new identifier until the destination virtual switch is updated, ensuring uninterrupted network communication throughout the migration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Duration of action of stationary object

If data packets are forwarded with migrated virtual machine identifier, then network communication continuity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork communication continuityVSAvoiddata packet processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential identifier information from the virtual machine migration process and embeds it into data packets. Instead of complex configuration updates, only the critical identifier needed for routing is extracted and transmitted, simplifying the overall process while maintaining communication continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter being transmitted in data packets from traditional routing information to a simplified virtual machine identifier. This parameter change simplifies the data structure and processing logic while achieving the same goal of maintaining network communication continuity during migration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3796163B1Data processing method and related device

Publication Date: 2025.02.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a data processing method and a related device. The method may include: receiving, by a source physical machine, a first data packet, where the first data packet includes first data, and a destination address of the first data is a first virtual machine; generating, by the source physical machine, a second data packet, where the second data packet includes the first data and an identifier of a second virtual machine, the second virtual machine is the first virtual machine after being live migrated from the source physical machine to a destination physical machine, and the identifier of the second virtual machine is used to identify the second virtual machine on the destination physical machine; and sending, by the source physical machine, the second data packet to the destination physical machine. The embodiments of the present invention can effectively reduce network interruption time in a virtual machine live migration process, and avoid communication interruption.