Distributed object identity in a virtual machine cluster

• US 20060271395A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orion D. Letizi, Steven T. Harris, Timothy S. Eck
• Original Assignee: Orion D. Letizi, Steven T. Harris, Timothy S. Eck
• Inventors: Letizi, Orion D., Eck, Timothy S., Harris, Steven T.
• Application Number:
  US11/441,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1479 Generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/203 using migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/522 Manager
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45504 Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/526 Mutual exclusion algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

Technology for sharing data among multiple virtual machines in a cluster of virtual machines is disclosed. Each virtual machine identifies “managed” objects of an instance of an application running at the virtual machine. Operations performed by an instance of one application which affect the state of managed objects are detected and distributed. The technology includes A computer-implemented method detecting operations performed by a first virtual machine on any local instance of a managed object; creating a transaction including the operation and an object identifier referencing the managed object; and forwarding the transaction to all other virtual machines.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for maintaining object identity at different virtual machines, each virtual machine having a local instance of a managed object in memory comprising:

detecting operations performed by a first virtual machine on any local instance of a managed object;

creating a transaction including the operation and an object identifier referencing the managed object; and

forwarding the transaction to all other virtual machines.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transaction references operations on the managed object in relation to the object identifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the transaction references at least a second object identifier of a second managed object, and the information comprises a series of operations to be performed on the local instance of each managed object at other virtual machines.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

a second virtual machine uses the object identifier to reference a local instance of the managed object to update the local instance of each changed managed object.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the step of forwarding includes forwarding the transaction to a central manager, the central manager maintaining a meta-data central representation of the object, and the central manager updating the central representation of the object using the object identifier and the operations.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the transaction includes an operation identifier, and the operation identifier is used by the central manager to update the central representation of the managed object.

7. A computer-implemented method for maintaining local instance object identity at a plurality of virtual machines, comprising:

receiving, from a first virtual machine, a transaction identifying operations which are performed by the application on local instances of a managed object at said first virtual machine and an object identifier referencing the managed object;

maintaining a central representation of the object, using the object identifier and the operations.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 further including the step of forwarding the transaction to all other virtual machines in a cluster having a local instance of the managed object.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein the central manager updates the central representation of the object upon receiving the transaction.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the transaction results from detecting operations performed by a first virtual machine on any local instance of a managed object.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the transaction references operations on the managed object in relation to the object identifier.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the transaction references at least a second object identifier of a second managed object, and the information comprises a series of operations to be performed on the local instance of each managed object at other virtual machines.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the transaction includes an operation identifier, and the operation identifier is used by the central manager to update the central representation of the managed object.

14. A computer-implemented method for maintaining local object identity at a first virtual machines, comprising:

receiving a transaction identifying operations performed by a second virtual machine on a local instance of a managed object at the first virtual machine, the transaction including the operation and an object identifier referencing the managed object;

updating a local instance of the managed object at the first virtual machine using the object identifier to identify the local instance.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further including the steps of:

detecting operations performed by a first virtual machine on any local instance of the managed object;

creating a transaction including the operation and an object identifier referencing the managed object; and

forwarding the transaction to the second virtual machine.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the transaction is received from a central manger, the central manager maintaining a meta-data central representation of the object, and the central manager updating the central representation of the object using the object identifier and the operations.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the transaction includes an operation identifier, and the operation identifier is used by the central manager to update the central representation of the managed object.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the transaction results from detecting operations performed by the second virtual machine on any local instance of a managed object.