VIRTUALIZATION SOFTWARE WITH DYNAMIC RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR VIRTUAL MACHINES

• US 20110023028A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nandagopal, Thyaga, Woo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/563,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20110023028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• 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

In one embodiment, a system has two or more working computers, each running one or more working virtual machines (VMs), and a protection computer running corresponding protection VMs. A management station can change the levels of computer resources specified in resource-configuration files for the protection VMs, and virtualization software can re-read the resource-configuration files and change the allocation of computer resources to the protection VMs without having to shut down and re-launch the protection VMs. By initially launching the protection VMs with reduced levels of computer resources, fast and cost-effective failover protection can be provided to the working computers, where the computer resources allocated to a protection VM are enhanced only after the detection of a failure of the corresponding working VM, without having to shut down and re-launch the protection VM.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a first computer running first virtualization software that enables one or more virtual machines (VMs) to run on the first computer, the method comprising:

(a) the first virtualization software accessing a first version of a first resource-configuration file for a first VM to allocate a first level of first-computer resources for the first VM prior to launching the first VM on the first computer; and

(b) the first virtualization software then accessing a second version of the first resource-configuration file for the first VM, different from the first version, to allocate a second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM, different from the first level, after launching the first VM without shutting down the first VM.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

the first computer is a protection computer in a server system having one or more working computers running one or more working VMs;

the first VM is a first protection VM of one or more protection VMs running on the first computer and corresponding to the one or more working VMs;

the first protection VM corresponds to a first working VM;

the first protection VM and the first working VM are each capable of running a first set of one or more application programs providing a first set of computer services;

the first level of the first-computer resources is a reduced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first working VM providing the first set of the computer services; and

the second level of the first-computer resources is an enhanced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first protection VM providing the first set of the computer services.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein step (b) is implemented after failure of the first working VM.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the server system further comprises a management station that:

(1) detects the failure of the first working VM;

(2) changes the first resource-configuration file from the first version to the second version; and

(3) instructs the first virtualization software to re-read the first resource-configuration file.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

(c) the first virtualization software notifying the management station that the first-computer resources of the second level have been allocated to the first protection VM, wherein the management station instructs a load balancer of the server system to switch a service load from the failed first working VM to the first protection VM.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein

the first computer is a computer in a server system having one or more other computers running one or more other VMs;

the first VM and an other VM running on an other computer each run a first set of one or more application programs providing a first set of computer services;

the first level of the first-computer resources is a reduced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first set of the computer services being provided by both the first VM and the other VM; and

the second level of the first-computer resources is an enhanced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first set of the computer services being provided by the first VM but not by the other VM.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a first computer, the first computer implements first virtualization software that enables one or more virtual machines (VMs) to run on the first computer:

(a) the first virtualization software accesses a first version of a first resource-configuration file for a first VM to allocate a first level of first-computer resources for the first VM prior to launching the first VM on the first computer; and

(b) the first virtualization software then accesses a second version of the first resource-configuration file for the first VM, different from the first version, to allocate a second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM, different from the first level, after launching the first VM without shutting down the first VM.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein:

the first computer is a protection computer in a server system having one or more working computers running one or more working VMs;

the first VM is a first protection VM of one or more protection VMs running on the first computer and corresponding to the one or more working VMs;

the first protection VM corresponds to a first working VM;

the first protection VM and the first working VM are each capable of running a first set of one or more application programs providing a first set of computer services;

the first level of the first-computer resources is a reduced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first working VM providing the first set of the computer services; and

the second level of the first-computer resources is an enhanced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first protection VM providing the first set of the computer services.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein the first virtualization software accesses the second version of the first resource-configuration file for the first protection VM after failure of the first working VM.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein the server system further comprises a management station that:

(1) detects the failure of the first working VM;

(2) changes the first resource-configuration file from the first version to the second version; and

(3) instructs the first virtualization software to re-read the first resource-configuration file.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein:

(c) the first virtualization software notifies the management station that the first-computer resources of the second level have been allocated to the first protection VM, wherein the management station instructs a load balancer of the server system to switch a service load from the failed first working VM to the first protection VM.

12. A method implemented on a management station of a server system having a first computer running first virtualization software that enables one or more virtual machines (VMs) to run on the first computer, the method comprising:

(a) the management station creating a first version of a first resource-configuration file specifying a first level of first-computer resources for a first VM;

(b) the management station instructing the first virtualization software to launch the first VM on the first computer, wherein the first virtualization software reads the first resource-configuration file and allocates the first level of the first-computer resources for the first VM prior to launching the first VM on the first computer;

(c) the management station changing the first resource-configuration file to a second version, different from the first version, specifying a second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM, different from the first level; and

(d) the management station instructing the first virtualization software to re-read the first resource-configuration file, wherein the first virtualization software re-reads the first resource-configuration file and allocates the second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM without shutting down the first VM.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein:

the first computer is a protection computer in the server system having one or more working computers running one or more working VMs;

the first VM is a first protection VM of one or more protection VMs running on the first computer and corresponding to the one or more working VMs;

the first protection VM corresponds to a first working VM;

the first protection VM and the first working VM are each capable of running a first set of one or more application programs providing a first set of computer services;

the first level of the first-computer resources is a reduced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first working VM providing the first set of the computer services; and

the second level of the first-computer resources is an enhanced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first protection VM providing the first set of the computer services.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein step (d) is implemented after failure of the first working VM.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein, prior to step (c), the management station detects the failure of the first working VM.

16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

(e) the management station receiving notification from the first virtualization software that the first-computer resources of the second level have been allocated to the first VM; and

(f) the management station instructing a load balancer of the server system to switch a service load from the failed first working VM to the first protection VM.

17. A management station for a server system having a first computer running first virtualization software that enables one or more virtual machines (VMs) to run on the first computer, wherein:

(a) the management station creates a first version of a first resource-configuration file specifying a first level of first-computer resources for a first VM;

(b) the management station instructs the first virtualization software to launch the first VM on the first computer, wherein the first virtualization software reads the first resource-configuration file and allocates the first level of the first-computer resources for the first VM prior to launching the first VM on the first computer;

(c) the management station changes the first resource-configuration file to a second version, different from the first version, specifying a second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM, different from the first level; and

(d) the management station instructs the first virtualization software to re-read the first resource-configuration file, wherein the first virtualization software re-reads the first resource-configuration file and allocates the second level of the first-computer resources for the first VM without shutting down the first VM.

18. The invention of claim 17, wherein:

the first computer is a protection computer in the server system having one or more working computers running one or more working VMs;

the first VM is a first protection VM of one or more protection VMs running on the first computer and corresponding to the one or more working VMs;

the first protection VM corresponds to a first working VM;

the first protection VM and the first working VM are each capable of running a first set of one or more application programs providing a first set of computer services;

the first level of the first-computer resources is a reduced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first working VM providing the first set of the computer services; and

the second level of the first-computer resources is an enhanced level of the first-computer resources associated with the first protection VM providing the first set of the computer services.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein the management station instructs the first virtualization software to re-read the first resource-configuration file after failure of the first working VM.

20. The invention of claim 19, wherein, prior to the management station changing the first resource-configuration file to the second version, the management station detects the failure of the first working VM.