Virtual Machine Migration via Regional Environment Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual placement of virtual machines by administrators is time-consuming and often non-optimal, and existing automated migration techniques do not adequately consider factors affecting virtual machine execution, such as regional environment effects.
Innovation Solution
A multi-tiered virtual machine placement control system with local and global placement controllers that automate the migration of virtual machines within and across data centers, considering predefined criteria like quality-of-service, load balancing, cooling, and regional environment effects, using simulated annealing to find optimal placements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual placement of virtual machines is performed by administrators, then placement decisions can be made with human judgment, but the process is time-consuming and often does not lead to optimal placement
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automated placement by implementing placement controllers that autonomously evaluate multiple factors (energy efficiency, cooling requirements, quality of service) and make placement decisions without human intervention. The controllers continuously monitor regional conditions and automatically migrate virtual machines to optimize placement based on current environmental and operational factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical human decision-making process with an automated computational system that evaluates placement criteria. The placement controllers use algorithms to assess energy efficiency metrics, cooling requirements, and quality of service levels, substituting human judgment with systematic automated analysis that processes multiple parameters simultaneously.
2Extent of automation
If existing automated migration techniques are used, then migration can be automated, but regional environment effects that affect virtual machine execution are not considered
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic placement decisions by continuously monitoring regional environment effects and adjusting virtual machine placement accordingly. The placement controllers adapt to changing conditions such as regional power outages, varying cooling requirements, and energy price fluctuations, making the automated system responsive to environmental dynamics rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where placement controllers receive information about regional environment effects and use this feedback to adjust placement decisions. The system monitors the impact of environmental factors on virtual machine execution and continuously refines placement strategies based on observed performance and changing conditions.
3Productivity
If virtual machines are migrated frequently to optimize placement, then resource utilization improves, but system complexity and migration overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by implementing targeted migrations only when specific placement optimization criteria are met, rather than performing continuous or excessive migrations. The placement controllers evaluate multiple factors and initiate migrations only when the benefits outweigh the costs, avoiding unnecessary migration operations that would increase system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
To place virtual machines on physical machines, at least one controller receives indicators related to regional environment effects. The at least one controller selects at least one of the virtual machines to migrate from one or more first physical machines to one or more second physical machines in response to the received indicators.