Virtual Machine Migration via Extended Internal Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for migrating virtual machines and virtual applications between cloud computing facilities often require extensive reconfiguration, leading to service interruptions and increased administrative effort, especially when maintaining consistent IP and network addresses across different cloud environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a stretch-deploy operation using a secure VPN tunnel to extend an internal network from a source cloud to a target cloud, allowing virtual machines and applications to be moved without changing their IP and network addresses, enabling seamless execution and communication across extended networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtual machines are migrated between cloud facilities using traditional methods, then migration can be achieved, but extensive reconfiguration is required leading to service interruptions and increased administrative effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary network layer that extends the source cloud's internal network to the target cloud through VPN tunnels. This intermediary layer allows virtual machines to maintain their original network identities and connectivity while physically relocated, eliminating the need for reconfiguration and reducing service interruption time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual network dimension that overlays the physical cloud infrastructure. By extending the internal network through VPN tunnels and creating virtual network interfaces, the system allows virtual machines to operate in a virtual network space that is independent of their physical location, enabling seamless migration without service interruption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If virtual machines are migrated between cloud facilities, then migration can be achieved, but IP and network address reconfiguration is required increasing administrative effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network address translation (NAT) devices and VPN tunnel endpoints as intermediaries that handle address mapping automatically. These intermediaries translate between the virtual machines' original IP addresses and the target cloud's network addresses, eliminating the need for manual reconfiguration and reducing administrative effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of network interfaces and extends network segments through VPN tunnels. By copying the source cloud's internal network structure to the target cloud environment, the system maintains identical network configurations, allowing virtual machines to operate without any configuration changes.
3Reliability
If network connectivity is maintained during virtual machine migration, then service availability is improved, but network configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes VPN tunnels and extends network segments before virtual machine migration occurs, ensuring continuous network connectivity throughout the migration process. The network infrastructure is prepared in advance to maintain uninterrupted communication, improving service availability while the automation of the process manages the configuration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary network setup including VPN tunnel establishment, network segment extension, and NAT configuration before the actual virtual machine migration. By preparing the network infrastructure in advance, the system ensures continuous connectivity during migration while the preliminary configuration work is done once rather than repeatedly.
Data Source
AI summary
The current document discloses methods and systems for extending an internal network within a source cloud-computing facility to a new target cloud-computing facility and redeploying a virtual machine or virtual application previously running on a target cloud-computing facility within the context of an extended internal network in the target cloud-computing facility. The currently disclosed methods and systems, which allow a virtual machine or virtual application formerly executing on a target cloud-computing facility to resume execution on a new target cloud-computing facility, using the computational and storage facilities of the new target cloud-computing facility but depending on network support from the source cloud-computing facility, without changing IP and local network addresses and the network connectivity, based on those addresses, between the virtual machines and virtual applications and other local and remote computational entities with which the virtual machines and virtual applications communicate.