VM Protocol Translator for Cross-Network Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The migration of virtual machines across different networks, particularly from an enterprise network to a cloud environment, faces challenges due to protocol incompatibilities between hypervisors, leading to issues with security, privacy, and compliance, as well as the inability to revert migrated VMs back to the enterprise network.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine the protocol difference between virtual machines and establish a translator using translation directives, allowing communication between VMs with different protocols through flow level programming, such as OpenFlow rules, without requiring specialized translation software, enabling adaptable network topology management and VM mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual machines are migrated across different networks with different protocols, then network flexibility and scalability are improved, but protocol incompatibility issues arise leading to security and compliance problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a translator as an intermediary component that mediates between virtual machines using different protocols. The translator receives packets from one protocol format, translates them to another protocol format, and forwards them to the destination VM, thereby enabling communication across heterogeneous networks without requiring the VMs themselves to be modified.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes protocol parameters such as encapsulation types, header formats, and data structures based on the detected protocol mismatch. By modifying these parameters through translation directives, the system adapts the communication protocol to bridge different network environments while maintaining security and compliance.
2Reliability
If specialized translation software is used to handle protocol differences, then protocol compatibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The translator is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple protocol types through a single unified architecture. Rather than requiring separate specialized software for each protocol pair, the system uses a general translation framework that can adapt to different protocol combinations, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects protocol differences and generates translation directives without requiring manual configuration of specialized software. The translation process is self-managed through automated protocol identification and directive generation, eliminating the need for complex pre-configured translation software.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hypervisor conversions are performed to enable VM migration, then network adaptability is improved, but security risks and compliance issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The translation function is segmented from the hypervisor itself and implemented as a separate translator component. This segmentation isolates security-critical translation operations from the hypervisor's core functions, allowing protocol translation to occur at the network layer rather than requiring conversion of the hypervisor itself, thereby reducing security risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The translator acts as an intermediary between VMs with different hypervisor protocols, preventing direct protocol conflicts from compromising security. By translating protocols at the network interface level rather than requiring hypervisor-level conversions, the system maintains security boundaries and compliance integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, computer readable medium, and system that includes receiving an indication identifying a tunnel between a first virtual machine, associated with a first protocol, and a second virtual machine, associated with a second protocol, determining that the first protocol is different than the second protocol, determining at least one translation directive that specifies for translation between the first protocol and the second protocol for the tunnel, and causing establishment of a translator based, at least in part, on the translation directive is disclosed.