Method and system for the transparent migration of virtual machine storage

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention describes a method and system for migrating virtual machines (VMs) from one server to another with minimal downtime and guaranteed data consistency. It allows a VM to stay operational during most of the migration process by synchronizing both memory states and storage changes in real-time between the source and destination servers until the migration is completed.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Data center server maintenance and upgrades without shutting down critical virtual machines
• Disaster recovery and failover in cloud computing environments
• Dynamic load balancing in cloud platforms by moving VMs between hosts based on resource demands
• Seamless migration of VMs during hardware or infrastructure upgrades
• Minimizing service interruption for hosted applications requiring high availability

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Minimizes downtime, allowing services to remain available during migration
• Ensures file system and data consistency, reducing risk of data loss or corruption
• Transparent process that does not require significant intervention or reconfiguration of hosted services
• Supports continuous operation of critical applications during infrastructure changes
• Improves flexibility and resource utilization in virtualized and cloud environments

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

A method and a computer system is provided for performing migration of virtual machines which minimize downtime of the virtual machine to be migrated and further ensure file system consistency and transparency to the virtual machines and services running in them. This is achieved by storing a disk image used by said at least one virtual machine (20) to be migrated on a local storage device (60) of a source host(10). The disk image is transferred to a destination host (80) while the virtual machine (20) to be migrated keeps running on the first host device (10). During the disk and memory transfer any changes made tc the disk image stored in the local storage device (60) are detected and transferred to the destination host device (80). The disk image transferred to the destination host (80) is modified in response to all changes transferred to the destination host device (80). Once all changes have been applied to the transferred disk image the migrated virtual machine (100) on the destination host device (80) is started at the current state of the virtual machine (20) running on the source host (10) by using the modified disk image.