High-Availability System Version Modification via Virtual Machine Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Upgrading software in packet switching devices often requires taking the entire device offline, leading to packet loss and reduced network availability, which affects Service Level Agreements with customers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a high-availability system using virtual machines on different hardware units, where processes are distributed with active and standby roles, allowing for in-service version modification by synchronizing state information between version modified and original processes, enabling seamless role changes and maintaining system availability during upgrades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire packet switching device is taken offline for software upgrades, then the software can be upgraded completely, but packet loss occurs and network availability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet switching device into multiple independent virtual machines (VMs), each running independent instances of the routing software. This allows upgrades to be performed on individual VMs while others continue to handle traffic, eliminating the need to take the entire device offline and thus preventing packet loss while maintaining network availability during the upgrade process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a preliminary action by creating standby VMs with the new software version before switching traffic. The standby VMs are pre-configured and synchronized with the active VMs, so when the switch occurs, the new version is already ready to take over immediately, avoiding downtime and ensuring continuous operation during the upgrade
2Adaptability or versatility
If the packet switching device is taken offline for upgrades, then software version modification can be performed, but service level agreements with customers are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling the system to dynamically switch between different software versions running on different VMs. The control plane can dynamically redirect traffic from active VMs to standby VMs running new versions, allowing the system to adapt to version changes while maintaining continuous service availability and meeting service level agreements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a mediator approach where standby VMs act as intermediaries between the active VMs and the new software version. These standby VMs receive traffic during the upgrade process, allowing the new version to be introduced without disrupting the active service, thus maintaining reliability while enabling version modification
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an operating system kernel and/or one or more processes of a high-availability system are modified while the system is operating and providing high-availability service. In accomplishing this, one embodiment uses a second virtual machine to operate a second operating system kernel including a second set of processes in the standby mode, which receive state information from corresponding process(es) in the active mode. Individually, the operating system kernel and processes within the second set of processes may be a same or different version of their counterpart in a first virtual machine and its processes which are being replaced. When the second set of processes have acquired sufficient state information to perform the standby role, the operation of the first virtual machine is typically ceased as the version modified second virtual machine is performing the version modified functionality of the first virtual machine.