SYSTEM, METHOD AND PROGRAM TO MIGRATE A VIRTUAL MACHINE

• US 20070169121A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shultz, Steven, Hunt, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4856 resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration G06F9/5088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A system, method and program product for migrating a first virtual machine from a first real computer to a second real computer or from a first LPAR to a second LPAR in a same real computer. Before migration, the first virtual machine comprises an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to the first virtual machine. A communication queue of the first virtual machine resides in a shared memory shared by the first and second computers or the first and second LPARs. The operating system and application are copied from the first private memory to the shared memory. The operating system and application are copied from the shared memory to a second private memory private to the first virtual machine in the second computer or second LPAR. Then, the first virtual machine is resumed in the second computer or second LPAR.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said method comprising the steps of:

stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;

while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, said first real computer communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and said second real computer writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and said second real computer writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer; and

allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

34. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further comprising the subsequent step of executing said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said second real computer.

35. A method as set forth in claim 33 further comprising the steps of:

said first real computer communicating to said second real computer an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first real computer, and said real second computer writing said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory.

36. A method as set forth in claim 33 further comprising the step of:

said first real computer communicating a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second real computer such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first real computer.

37. A method as set forth in claim 33 further comprising the steps of:

said second virtual machine supplying said one work item to said communication queue before the step of stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine;

while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, said first real computer communicating an operating system and an application of said second virtual machine to said second real computer, and said second real computer writing said operating system and application of said second virtual machine into a third private memory in said second real computer; and

allocating said third private memory and other resources in said second real computer for another migrated virtual machine corresponding to said second virtual machine, and granting said other migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue in said second shared memory.

38. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein said at least one work item comprises first and second work items;

and further comprising the steps of;

said first virtual machine supplying said first work item to said communication queue at an address in said first real computer before the step of stopping said first virtual machine; and

said migrated virtual machine supplying said second work item to said communication queue in said second real computer at said address in said second real computer.

39. A system for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said system comprising:

means for stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;

said first real computer including means, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, for communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and said second real computer including means for writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and said second real computer including means for writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer; and

means for allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

40. A system as set forth in claim 39 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further comprising means for executing said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said second real computer.

41. A system as set forth in claim 39 further comprising:

means within said first real computer for communicating to said second real computer an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first real computer; and

means within said second real computer for writing said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory.

42. A system as set forth in claim 39 further comprising:

means within said first real computer for communicating a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second real computer such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first real computer.

43. A system as set forth in claim 39 further comprising:

means within said second virtual machine for supplying said one work item to said communication queue before the stopping of said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine;

means within said first real computer, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, for communicating an operating system and an application of said second virtual machine to said second real computer, and means within said second real computer for writing said operating system and application of said second virtual machine into a third private memory in said second real computer; and

means for allocating said third private memory and other resources in said second real computer for another migrated virtual machine corresponding to said second virtual machine, and granting said other migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue in said second shared memory.

44. A system as set forth in claim 39 wherein said at least one work item comprises first and second work items;

and further comprising;

means within said first virtual machine for supplying said first work item to said communication queue at an address in said first real computer before the stopping of said first virtual machine; and

means within said migrated virtual machine for supplying said second work item to said communication queue in said second real computer at said address in said second real computer.

45. A computer program product for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable media;

first program instructions for execution within said first real computer to stop said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;

second program instructions for execution within said first real computer, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, to communicate said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and third program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and fourth program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer; and

fifth program instructions to allocate said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and grant said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are recorded in functional form on said media.

46. A computer program product as set forth in claim 45 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further comprising sixth program instructions to execute said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said real second computer;

and wherein said sixth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

47. A computer program product as set forth in claim 45 further comprising:

sixth program instructions for execution within said first real computer to communicate to said second real computer an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first real computer; and

seventh program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory; and

wherein

said sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

48. A computer program product as set forth in claim 45 further comprising:

sixth program instructions for execution within said first real computer to communicate a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second real computer such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first real computer; and

wherein said sixth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

49. A computer program product as set forth in claim 45 further comprising:

sixth program instructions for execution within said second virtual machine to supply said one work item to said communication queue before the first program instructions stop said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine;

seventh program instructions for execution within said first real computer, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, to communicate an operating system and an application of said second virtual machine to said second real computer, and eighth program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said operating system and application of said second virtual machine into a third private memory in said second real computer; and

ninth program instructions to allocate said third private memory and other resources in said second real computer for another migrated virtual machine corresponding to said second virtual machine, and grant said other migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue in said second shared memory; and

wherein

said sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

50. A computer program product as set forth in claim 45 wherein said at least one work item comprises first and second work items;

and further comprising;

sixth program instructions for execution within said first virtual machine to supply said first work item to said communication queue at an address in said first real computer before the first program instructions stop said first virtual machine; and

seventh program instructions for execution within said migrated virtual machine to supply said second work item to said communication queue in said second real computer at said address in said second real computer; and

wherein

said sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

51. A method for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first logical partition (“

LPAR”

) to a second logical partition in a same real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said method comprising the steps of;

stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;

while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, said first LPAR communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and said second LPAR writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and said second LPAR writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR; and

allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

52. A method as set forth in claim 51 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further comprising the subsequent step of executing said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said second LPAR.

53. A method as set forth in claim 51 further comprising the steps of:

said first LPAR communicating to said second LPAR an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first LPAR, and said second LPAR writing said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory.

54. A method as set forth in claim 51 further comprising the step of:

said first LPAR communicating a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second LPAR such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first LPAR.

55. A system for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real LPAR to a second real LPAR, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said system comprising:

means for stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;

said first LPAR including means, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, for communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and said second LPAR including means for writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and said second LPAR including means for writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR; and

means for allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

56. A system as set forth in claim 55 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further comprising means for executing said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said second LPAR.

57. A system as set forth in claim 55 further comprising:

means within said first LPAR for communicating to said second LPAR an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first LPAR; and

means within said second LPAR for writing said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory.

58. A system as set forth in claim 55 further comprising:

means within said first LPAR for communicating a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second LPAR such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first LPAR.

59. A computer program product for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real LPAR to a second real LPAR, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said LPAR program product comprising:

a computer readable media;

first program instructions for execution within said first LPAR to stop said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;

second program instructions for execution within said first LPAR, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, to communicate said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and third program instructions for execution within said second LPAR to write said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and fourth program instructions for execution within said second LPAR to write said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR; and

fifth program instructions to allocate said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and grant said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are recorded in functional form on said media.

60. A computer program product as set forth in claim 59 wherein said other resources include a share of a processor, and further sixth program instructions to execute said operating system and said application in said migrated virtual machine in said second LPAR;

and wherein said sixth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

61. A computer program product as set forth in claim 59 further comprising:

sixth program instructions for execution within said first LPAR to communicate to said second LPAR an address of said communication queue used by said first virtual machine in said first LPAR; and

seventh program instructions for execution within said second LPAR to write said address into said second private memory such that said migrated virtual machine will use said address to access said communication queue in said second shared memory; and

wherein

said sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

62. A computer program product as set forth in claim 59 further comprising:

sixth program instructions for execution within said first LPAR to communicate a program status word of said application or said operating system to said second LPAR such that said migrated virtual machine will use said program status word to resume execution of said application or said operating system in said migrated virtual machine where said application or operating system stopped its execution in said first virtual machine in said first LPAR; and

wherein said sixth program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.