Virtual Machine Swap Memory Segmentation and Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems lack an efficient mechanism for managing and removing swapped pages from virtual machines, leading to storage space accumulation and performance issues in virtual machines and disk backup operations.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a swap memory manager that designates separate storage for swap files, allowing for periodic removal of swap files upon predefined events, such as shutdown or restart, and using cheaper, non-redundant storage for swap files, while maintaining separate storage for persistent data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If pre-allocated disk storage is used for each virtual machine, then storage allocation is simplified, but storage space is insufficient when virtual machines expand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage allocation simplicityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments disk storage into two distinct types: pre-allocated storage for persistent data and swap storage for swapped pages. This segmentation allows each virtual machine to have sufficient storage space while maintaining simple allocation management, resolving the contradiction between allocation simplicity and storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If swapped pages are accumulated in disk storage, then virtual machine memory management is simplified, but disk backup operations become slower

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory management simplicityVSAvoiddisk backup speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts swapped pages from the pre-allocated storage by introducing a separate swap storage. The swap memory manager periodically removes swapped pages from swap storage, separating them from persistent data. This extraction enables simplified memory management while maintaining fast backup speeds by backing up only persistent data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The swap memory manager periodically discards swapped pages from swap storage after they are no longer needed. This discarding mechanism prevents swap files from accumulating and slowing down backup operations, while the pages can be recovered to memory when needed by the virtual machine.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Device complexity

If swap files are stored on the same storage as persistent data, then storage structure is simpler, but storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage structureVSAvoidstorage cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments storage into pre-allocated storage for persistent data and swap storage for swapped pages. This segmentation allows the use of cheaper, non-redundant storage for swap files while maintaining simple storage structure management, reducing overall storage costs without complicating the storage architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8943498B2Method and apparatus for swapping virtual machine memory

Publication Date: 2015.01.27 RED HAT ISRAEL

AI summary

A method and system for swapping memory of a virtual machine are described. In one embodiment, virtual machines are hosted by a server and accessed by remote clients over a network. The server assigns first storage and second storage to each virtual machine, where the first storage is designated for swap memory of a respective virtual machine and the second storage is designated for persistent data of a respective virtual machine. The server monitors events pertaining to the virtual machines. Upon detecting a predefined event pertaining to one of the virtual machines, the server causes the contents of the first storage to be wiped out.