Managing virtual machine migration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016378532-A1
Application number	US-201615012688-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2010
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and method for the management of migrations of virtual machine instances are provided. A migration manager monitors the resource usage of a virtual machine instance over time in order to create a migration profile. When migration of a virtual machine instance is desired, the migration manager schedules the migration to occur such that the migration conforms to the migration profile.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a request to migrate a virtual machine instance from a first physical host computing device to a second physical host computing device; obtaining a history of resource use associated with the virtual machine instance; identifying an anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine instance based at least partly on the history of resource usage; determining, for each of a set of potential future migration times distinct from a present point in time, an estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated during the potential future migration time, wherein each estimated length of time for migration is determined based at least in part on the anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine; selecting a migration time from the set of potential future migration times based at least in part on the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated at the selected migration time; and causing the virtual machine instance to be migrated at the selected migration time.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a migration profile indicating the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated during each of the set of potential future migration times.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein selecting a migration time from the set of potential future migration times based at least in part on the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated at the selected migration time comprising selecting a migration time by utilizing the migration profile.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the migration profile further indicates one or more migration policies for the virtual machine instance.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more migration policies indicate at least one of a maximum length of time for migration of the virtual machine instance, a time period during which migration of the virtual machine instance may not occur, or a time period during which migration of the virtual machine instance is preferred to occur.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the migration profile further indicates at least one of the set of potential future migration times during which migration of the virtual machine instance could occur in compliance with the one or more migration policies.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring migration of the virtual machine instance; and limiting a rate of the migration such that the migration consumes network resources within a specified range.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that migration of the virtual machine instance will not complete within a threshold time period; and increasing an amount of network resources available to conduct the migration.

9 . A system comprising:
a non-transitory data store including data indicating a history of resource use associated with a virtual machine instance; and one or more computing devices in communication with the non-transitory data store and configured with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computing devices to:
identify, from at least the history of resource use, an anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine instance;
determine, for each of a set of potential future migration times distinct from a present point in time, an estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated during the potential future migration time, wherein each estimated length of time for migration is determined based at least in part on the anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine;
receive a request to migrate the virtual machine instance from a first host computing device to a second host computing device;
select a migration time from the set of potential future migration times based at least in part on the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated at the selected migration time; and
schedule the virtual machine instance to be migrated at the selected migration time.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to:
monitor migration of the virtual machine instance; and limit a rate of the migration such that the migration consumes network resources within a specified range.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to:
determine that migration of the virtual machine instance will not complete within a threshold time period; and increase an amount of network resources available to conduct the migration.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the anticipated future pattern of resource use indicates time periods during which a resource use of the virtual machine is anticipated to be below a specified resource use level.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the history of resource use indicates a history of use by the virtual machine instance of at least one of random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a network resource, or energy.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to generate a migration profile indicating the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated during each of the set of potential future migration times.

15 . Non-statutory computer-readable media including computer executable instructions executable by a computing system to:
utilize a history of resource use of a virtual machine instance to identify an anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine instance; from at least the anticipated future pattern of resource use associated with the virtual machine, determine an estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated during each of a set of potential future migration times, distinct from a present point in time; receive a request to migrate the virtual machine instance from a first host computing device to a second host computing device; select a migration time from the set of potential future migration times based at least in part on the estimated length of time for migration of the virtual machine if migrated at the selected migration time; and transmit instructions to migrate the virtual machine instance at the selected migration time.

16 . The non-statutory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable are further executable by the computing system to:
monitor migration of the virtual machine instance; and limit a rate of the migration such that the migration consumes network resources within a specified range.

17 . The non-statutory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable are further executable by the computing system to:
determine that migration of the virtual machine instance will not complete within a threshold time period; and increase an amount of network resources available to conduct the migration.

18 . The non-statutory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable are further executable by the c

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Vincent Pradeep
• Thomas Nathan

Classifications

• G06F2009/45595

  Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances · CPC title

• G06F2009/4557

  Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing · CPC title

• G06F9/5088

  involving task migration · CPC title

• G06F2209/5019

  Workload prediction · CPC title

• G06F8/10

  Requirements analysis; Specification techniques · CPC title