METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATIC SELF-MANAGEMENT OF VIRTUAL MACHINES IN CLOUD-BASED NETWORKS

• US 20090293056A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferris, James Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45554 Instruction set architectures of guest OS and hypervisor or native processor differ, e.g. Bochs or VirtualPC on PowerPC MacOS
• 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 cloud management system can insert a self-management module in virtual machines. The self-management module can be configured to automatically perform management functions on the virtual machine in which it is inserted. The management functions can include activation, suspension, or termination of the virtual machine. The management functions can also include tracking and monitoring the virtual machine. The management functions can also include providing messages to the cloud management system regarding the status and usage of the virtual machine.

Claims

1. A method of managing virtual machines in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

instantiating at least one virtual machine in a cloud computing environment; and

inserting a management module in the at least one virtual machine, wherein the management module is configured to monitor the at least one virtual machine and to control the at least one virtual machine based on the monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the management module is configured to monitor at least one of a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the management module is configured to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the management module is configured to activate to suspend, or to terminate the at least one virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating activation, suspension, or termination of the at least one virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the management module is configured to suspend or to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the at least one virtual machine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the management module is inserted in the at least one virtual machine prior to instantiation of the at least one virtual machine or after instantiation of the at least one virtual machine.

10. A system for managing virtual machines in a cloud computing environment, comprising:

a network interface to at least one virtual machine in a cloud computing environment; and

a cloud management module, communicating with the network interface, the cloud management module being configured to—

instantiating at least one virtual machine in a cloud computing environment; and

inserting a management module in the at least one virtual machine, wherein the management module is configured to monitor the at least one virtual machine and to control the at least one virtual machine based on the monitoring.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the management module is configured to monitor at least one of a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the management module is configured to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the management module is configured to activate to suspend, or to terminate the at least one virtual machine.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating activation, suspension, or termination of the at least one virtual machine.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the management module is configured to suspend or to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the at least one virtual machines

18. A virtual machine, the virtual machine being managed by a method comprising:

instantiating at least one virtual machine in a cloud computing environment; and

executing a management module in the at least one virtual machine, wherein the management module is configured to monitor the at least one virtual machine and to control the at least one virtual machine based on the monitoring.

19. The virtual machine of claim 18, wherein the management module is configured to monitor at least one of a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

20. The virtual machine of claim 19, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage.

21. The virtual machine of claim 19, wherein the management module is configured to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on the monitored at least time period, duration, or usage

22. The virtual machine of claim 18, wherein the management module is configured to activate to suspend, or to terminate the at least one virtual machine.

23. The virtual machine of claim 22, wherein the management module is configured to transmit a message to a cloud management system indicating activation, suspension, or termination of the at least one virtual machine.

24. The virtual machine of claim 22, wherein the management module is configured to suspend or to terminate the at least one virtual machine based on a time period for the at least one virtual machine, a duration of the at least one virtual machine, or a resource usage of the at least one virtual machine.

25. The virtual machine of claim 18, wherein the cloud computing environment comprises a set of resource servers configured to deliver resources to instantiate the at least one virtual machines.