Reliably testing virtual machine failover using differencing disks

• US 9,015,530 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiruvolu, Phani, Atal, Vinod, Sinha, Gaurav
• Primary Examiner(s): Manoskey, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US13/532,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20130346803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.11, 714/11, 714/13, 714/25, 714/28, 714/31, 714/33, 714/37, 714/38.1, 714/40, 714/41
• US Class Current: 714/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

In one embodiment, a virtual machine replication system may test a replica data set while continuing to replicate a primary data set. A data storage 250 may store a replica data set for a replica virtual machine 302 to back up a primary data set for a primary virtual machine 304. The data storage 250 may preserve a test point in time 322 in the replica data set using a test differencing disk 344. A processor 220 may execute a test virtual machine 342 that performs a test operation on the test point in time 322 while the replica data set continues to replicate the primary data set.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining a replica data set for a replica virtual machine to back up a primary data set for a primary virtual machine; and

executing a test operation on the replica data set with a test virtual machine while the replica data set continues to replicate the primary data set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preserving a test point in time in the replica data set for the test virtual machine to execute the test operation while avoiding causing data duplication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the test virtual machine to model the replica virtual machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the test virtual machine upon completion of the test operation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a delta data subset for the replica data set replicated from the primary data set while preserving a test point in time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a delta data subset to the replica data set received from the primary data set.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

isolating the test virtual machine from a primary workload of the primary virtual machine.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a test point in time from a point in time option set.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating a failover point in time based on the test operation.

10. A tangible computer-readable medium having a set of instructions detailing a method stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform the method, the method comprising:

maintaining a replica data set for a replica virtual machine to back up a primary data set for a primary virtual machine;

preserving a test point in time in the replica data set using a test differencing disk; and

executing a test operation on the test point in time with a test virtual machine.

11. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

discarding the test differencing disk upon completion of the test operation.

12. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

creating the test virtual machine to model the replica virtual machine.

13. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

deleting the test virtual machine upon completion of the test operation.

14. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a delta data subset for the replica data set replicated from the primary data set while preserving a test point in time.

15. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

adding a delta data subset to the replica data set received from the primary data set.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

isolating the test virtual machine from a primary workload of the primary virtual machine.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

designating a failover point in time based on the test operation.

18. A virtual machine replication server, comprising:

a data storage that stores a replica data set for a replica virtual machine to back up a primary data set for a primary virtual machine and preserves a test point in time in the replica data set using a test differencing disk; and

a processor that executes a test virtual machine that performs a test operation on the test point in time while the replica data set continues to replicate the primary data set.

19. The virtual machine replication server of claim 18, further comprising:

a communication interface that receives a delta data subset for the replica data set replicated from the primary data set while preserving the test point in time.

20. The virtual machine replication server of claim 18, wherein the processor designates a failover point in time based on the test operation.