VM Resource Metering Mechanism for Cloud SLA Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cloud computing environments, maximizing performance parameters like memory and CPU utilization can lead to contention, potentially breaking service level agreements (SLAs) and resulting in financial consequences, prompting the underutilization of cloud resources to ensure performance guarantees.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism for monitoring and reporting resource utilization of virtual machines (VMs) on a per-VM basis, using control registers and counters to track resource usage, allowing for optimal allocation of resources while ensuring SLA compliance, and restricting resource utilization if necessary to maintain performance levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cloud resources are kept under-utilized to ensure performance guarantees, then service level agreement compliance is improved, but system resource utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice level agreement complianceVSAvoidsystem resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments resource monitoring and control by dividing the system into individual VM tracking units, each with its own resource utilization counters and control registers. This allows per-VM resource accounting while maintaining overall system optimization, resolving the contradiction between individual SLA compliance and system-wide utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation by continuously monitoring resource utilization counters and adjusting VM resource allocation in real-time. The system dynamically identifies under-utilized VMs and reallocates their resources to over-utilized VMs, transforming static under-utilized resources into dynamically optimized allocations that maintain SLA compliance while maximizing system utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If resource utilization is maximized to improve system productivity, then system resource utilization is improved, but performance parameter contention increases leading to SLA violations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem resource utilizationVSAvoidservice level agreement compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms through resource utilization counters that continuously monitor each VM's resource consumption. When a VM approaches its allocated resource limits, the system provides feedback by restricting further resource utilization and reallocating to under-utilized VMs, preventing contention-induced SLA violations while maintaining high system utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters of VMs by dynamically adjusting resource allocation limits based on real-time utilization metrics. The system modifies resource availability parameters for individual VMs rather than maintaining fixed allocations, enabling maximized system productivity while preventing performance degradation through parameter-based control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If per-VM resource tracking is implemented to improve measurement precision, then resource utilization monitoring accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization monitoring accuracyVSAvoidcontrol register and counter structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing control registers and counters that serve multiple functions: they track resource utilization for billing, enforce SLA compliance, enable dynamic reallocation decisions, and provide performance monitoring. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating multiple management tasks into unified hardware structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10223162B2Mechanism for resource utilization metering in a computer system

Publication Date: 2019.03.05 ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for tracking system resource utilization of guest virtual machines (VMs). Counters may be maintained to track resource utilization of different system resources by different guest VMs executing on the system. When a guest VM initiates execution, stored values may be loaded into the resource utilization counters. While the guest VM executes, the counters may track the resource utilization of the guest VM. When the guest VM terminates execution, the counter values may be written to a virtual machine control block (VMCB) corresponding to the guest VM. Scaling factors may be applied to the counter values to normalize the values prior to writing the values to the VMCB. A cloud computing environment may utilize the tracking mechanisms to guarantee resource utilization levels in accordance with users' service level agreements.