WORKLOAD MIGRATION BETWEEN VIRTUALIZATION SOFTWARES

• US 20140149635A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bacher, Utz, Buendgen, Reinhard, Lueck, Einar, Nunez Mencias, Angel
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/08 in hierarchically structured memory systems, e.g. virtual memory systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5018 Thread allocation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/467 Transactional memory G06F9/528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory

Abstract

A virtual machine (VM) migration from a source virtual machine monitor (VMM) to a destination VMM on a computer system. Each of the VMMs includes virtualization software, and one or more VMs are executed in each of the VMMs. The virtualization software allocates hardware resources in a form of virtual resources for the concurrent execution of one or more VMs and the virtualization software. A portion of a memory of the hardware resources includes hardware memory segments. A first portion of the memory segments is assigned to a source logical partition and a second portion is assigned to a destination logical partition. The source VMM operates in the source logical partition and the destination VMM operates in the destination logical partition. The first portion of the memory segments is mapped into a source VMM memory, and the second portion of the memory segments is mapped into a destination VMM memory.

Claims

1. A method for a virtual machine (VM) migration from a source virtual machine monitor (VMM) to a destination VMM on a computer system, wherein each of said VMMs comprises virtualization software that is logically interposed and interfacing between hardware resources of the computer system and one or more VMs being executed in each of said VMMs, wherein the virtualization software is operable to a concurrent execution of the virtualization software and one or more VMs, wherein the virtualization software allocates the hardware resources in a form of virtual resources for the concurrent execution of one or more VMs and the virtualization software, wherein a portion of a memory of the hardware resources includes hardware memory segments, wherein a first portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a source logical partition and a second portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a destination logical partition, wherein the source VMM operates in the source logical partition and the destination VMM operates in the destination logical partition, the first portion is mapped into a source VMM memory, the second portion is mapped into a destination VMM memory, the method comprising:

executing a VM in the source VMM;

allocating each of said hardware memory segments of a plurality of said hardware memory segments assigned to the source logical partition for an exclusive data storage of VM data used for an execution of the VM, wherein data used for the execution of the VM is stored in the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments allocated for the exclusive data storage is used only for the storage of the VM data;

suspending execution of the VM wherein VM virtual resources used for the execution of the VM remain allocated for the execution of the VM;

transferring a VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM, wherein the VM extended configuration information comprises a list of descriptions of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments;

reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition, wherein contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments remain intact;

exiting the VM in the source VMM, wherein the VM virtual resources are freed;

creating the VM in the destination VMM, wherein the VM in the destination VM is created according to the VM extended configuration information; and

resuming the VM in the destination VMM.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending the execution of the VM comprises:

halting the execution of the VM; and

collecting the VM extended configuration information, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM unique identification, a VM state, and a resources list of descriptions of the VM virtual resources, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources excluding the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM comprises communicating through standard networking the VM extended configuration information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

writing a partition unique identification, the VM unique identification, and the unique respective mapping addresses of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments to associated respective unique information data records of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments has the associated respective unique information data record, the partition unique identification is assigned to the destination logical partition, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM, and each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments is mapped into a VM memory under a unique respective mapping address;

wherein said writing is executed prior to reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition; and

after reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition and prior to creating the VM in the destination VMM checking whether the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments comprises the VM unique identification, and based on the respective unique information data record comprising the VM unique identification, mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the destination VMM memory as allocated for the exclusive storage of the VM data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM state, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources after suspending the execution of the VM, the VM state excludes the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, and wherein the creating the VM in the destination VMM comprises:

mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the VM memory under the unique respective mapping addresses stored in the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments; and

assigning states to the VM virtual resources allocated for the execution of the VM in the destination VMM according to the VM state.

6. A computer system for a virtual machine (VM) migration from a source virtual machine monitor (VMM) to a destination VMM on the computer system, the computer system comprising:

hardware resources, wherein each of said VMMs comprises virtualization software that is logically interposed and interfacing between the hardware resources and one or more VMs being executed in each of said VMMs, wherein the virtualization software is operable to a concurrent execution of the virtualization software and one or more VMs, wherein the virtualization software allocates the hardware resources in a form of virtual resources for the concurrent execution of one or more VMs and the virtualization software, wherein a portion of a memory of the hardware resources includes hardware memory segments, wherein a first portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a source logical partition and a second portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a destination logical partition, wherein the source VMM operates in the source logical partition and the destination VMM operates in the destination logical partition, the first portion is mapped into a source VMM memory, the second portion is mapped into a destination VMM memory; and

wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising;

executing a VM in the source VMM;

allocating each of said hardware memory segments of a plurality of said hardware memory segments assigned to the source logical partition for an exclusive data storage of VM data used for an execution of the VM, wherein data used for the execution of the VM is stored in the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments allocated for the exclusive data storage is used only for the storage of the VM data;

suspending execution of the VM wherein VM virtual resources used for the execution of the VM remain allocated for the execution of the VM;

transferring a VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM, wherein the VM extended configuration information comprises a list of descriptions of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments;

reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition, wherein contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments remain intact;

exiting the VM in the source VMM, wherein the VM virtual resources are freed;

creating the VM in the destination VMM, wherein the VM in the destination VM is created according to the VM extended configuration information; and

resuming the VM in the destination VMM.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein suspending the execution of the VM comprises:

halting the execution of the VM; and

collecting the VM extended configuration information, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM unique identification, a VM state, and a resources list of descriptions of the VM virtual resources, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources excluding the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM.

8. The computer system of claim 6, wherein transferring the VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM comprises communicating through standard networking the VM extended configuration information.

9. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

writing a partition unique identification, the VM unique identification, and the unique respective mapping addresses of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments to associated respective unique information data records of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments has the associated respective unique information data record, the partition unique identification is assigned to the destination logical partition, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM, and each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments is mapped into a VM memory under a unique respective mapping address;

wherein said writing is executed prior to reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition; and

after reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition and prior to creating the VM in the destination VMM checking whether the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments comprises the VM unique identification, and based on the respective unique information data record comprising the VM unique identification, mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the destination VMM memory as allocated for the exclusive storage of the VM data.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM state, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources after suspending the execution of the VM, the VM state excludes the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, and wherein the creating the VM in the destination VMM comprises:

mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the VM memory under the unique respective mapping addresses stored in the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments; and

assigning states to the VM virtual resources allocated for the execution of the VM in the destination VMM according to the VM state.

11. A computer program product for a virtual machine (VM) migration from a source virtual machine monitor (VMM) to a destination VMM on a computer system, wherein each of said VMMs comprises virtualization software that is logically interposed and interfacing between hardware resources of the computer system and one or more VMs being executed in each of said VMMs, wherein the virtualization software is operable to a concurrent execution of the virtualization software and one or more VMs, wherein the virtualization software allocates the hardware resources in a form of virtual resources for the concurrent execution of one or more VMs and the virtualization software, wherein a portion of a memory of the hardware resources includes hardware memory segments, wherein a first portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a source logical partition and a second portion of said hardware memory segments is assigned to a destination logical partition, wherein the source VMM operates in the source logical partition and the destination VMM operates in the destination logical partition, the first portion is mapped into a source VMM memory, the second portion is mapped into a destination VMM memory, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

executing a VM in the source VMM;

allocating each of said hardware memory segments of a plurality of said hardware memory segments assigned to the source logical partition for an exclusive data storage of VM data used for an execution of the VM, wherein data used for the execution of the VM is stored in the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments allocated for the exclusive data storage is used only for the storage of the VM data;

suspending execution of the VM wherein VM virtual resources used for the execution of the VM remain allocated for the execution of the VM;

transferring a VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM, wherein the VM extended configuration information comprises a list of descriptions of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments;

reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition, wherein contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments remain intact;

exiting the VM in the source VMM, wherein the VM virtual resources are freed;

creating the VM in the destination VMM, wherein the VM in the destination VM is created according to the VM extended configuration information; and

resuming the VM in the destination VMM.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein suspending the execution of the VM comprises:

halting the execution of the VM; and

collecting the VM extended configuration information, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM unique identification, a VM state, and a resources list of descriptions of the VM virtual resources, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources excluding the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein transferring the VM extended configuration information to be used for resuming the VM in the destination VMM from the source VMM to the destination VMM comprises communicating through standard networking the VM extended configuration information.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

writing a partition unique identification, the VM unique identification, and the unique respective mapping addresses of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments to associated respective unique information data records of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, wherein each of said hardware memory segments has the associated respective unique information data record, the partition unique identification is assigned to the destination logical partition, the VM unique identification is assigned to the VM, and each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments is mapped into a VM memory under a unique respective mapping address;

wherein said writing is executed prior to reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition; and

after reassigning each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments from the source logical partition to the destination logical partition and prior to creating the VM in the destination VMM checking whether the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments comprises the VM unique identification, and based on the respective unique information data record comprising the VM unique identification, mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the destination VMM memory as allocated for the exclusive storage of the VM data.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the VM extended configuration information further comprises a VM state, wherein the VM state comprises states of the VM virtual resources after suspending the execution of the VM, the VM state excludes the contents of the plurality of said hardware memory segments, and wherein the creating the VM in the destination VMM comprises:

mapping each of said hardware memory segments of the plurality of said hardware memory segments into the VM memory under the unique respective mapping addresses stored in the associated respective unique information data record of each of said hardware memory segments; and

assigning states to the VM virtual resources allocated for the execution of the VM in the destination VMM according to the VM state.