Dynamic distribution of virtual machines in a communication network

• US 20100027420A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• 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 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method generally includes monitoring network traffic associated with a first network device comprising at least one of a plurality of virtual machines and determining if a parameter exceeds a predefined threshold at the first network device. If the parameter exceeds the predefined threshold, one of the virtual machines is selected to move to a second network device, the second network device selected based on network information, and the virtual machine is moved. An apparatus for resource allocation is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for resource allocation in a network comprising a plurality of virtual machines, the method comprising:

monitoring network traffic associated with a first network device comprising at least one of said plurality of virtual machines;

determining if one or more parameters exceed a predefined threshold at said first network device; and

if said one or more parameters exceed said predefined threshold;

selecting one of said virtual machines to move to a second network device, said second network device selected based on network information; and

moving said selected virtual machine to the second network device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying resource availability in the network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein selecting said second network device comprises selecting a set of eligible network devices based on said resource availability.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying resource availability in the network comprises monitoring and advertising server availability at the first network device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said parameters comprise network parameters and processing and memory requirements at the first network device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting said second network device comprises calculating path costs between said plurality of virtual machines that have not been selected and network devices eligible to receive said selected virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising applying a weight to each of said path costs, each of said weights based on network traffic between said selected virtual machine and another of said plurality of virtual machines.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring network traffic associated with said first network device comprises generating a traffic matrix comprising bandwidth utilization between said virtual machines.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if one or more of said parameters exceed a predefined threshold comprises determining if a bandwidth for said virtual machine located at said first network device exceeds said predefined threshold for a specified period of time.

10. An apparatus for resource allocation in a network comprising a plurality of virtual machines, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor configured for monitoring network traffic associated with one or more of said plurality of virtual machines located at the apparatus;

a controller configured for determining if one or more parameters exceed a predefined threshold and if said one or more of said parameters exceed said predefined threshold, select one of said virtual machines to move to a network device, the network device selected based on network information, and move said selected virtual machine to the network device; and

memory for storing said network information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a transmitter configured for advertising resource availability at the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said resource availability comprises available CPU, memory, and bandwidth.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said network information comprises network topology and bandwidth requirements.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said network information further comprises latency.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to calculate path costs between said plurality of virtual machines that have not been selected and network devices eligible to receive said selected virtual machine.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the monitor is configured to generate a traffic matrix comprising bandwidth utilization between said virtual machines.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein determining if one or more parameters exceed a predefined threshold comprises determining if a bandwidth for said virtual machine located at said first network device exceeds said predefined threshold for a specified period of time.

18. An apparatus for resource allocation in a network comprising a plurality of virtual machines, the apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring network traffic associated with a first network device comprising at least one of said plurality of virtual machines;

means for determining if one or more parameters exceed a predefined threshold at said first network device; and

means for selecting one of said virtual machines to move to a second network device, said second network device selected based on network information; and

means for moving said selected virtual machine to the second network device, if said one or more parameters exceed said predefined threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein means for selecting said second network device comprises means for calculating path costs between said plurality of virtual machines that have not been selected and network devices eligible to receive said selected virtual machine.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising means for applying a weight to each of said path costs, each of said weights based on network traffic between said selected virtual machine and another of said plurality of virtual machines.