Graphically representing load balance in a computing cluster

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9384116-B2
Application number	US-201113108820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2011
Priority date	May 16, 2011
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments provide a graphical representation of load distribution or “balance” in a computing cluster. Load metrics representing the resource utilization of individual host computing devices are collected, and a load imbalance metric representing the variability of the host load metrics is calculated. A graphical balance indicator including a balance position and a boundary is created. An imbalance icon is positioned relative to the balance position and the boundary based on the calculated load imbalance metric. Attributes of the graphical balance indicator, such as the position of the boundary and/or the size of the imbalance icon, may be determined based on an acceptable imbalance threshold value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for presenting a load balance in a computing cluster that includes a plurality of hosts executing one or more virtual machines (VMs), the system comprising:
a memory for storing a plurality of host load metrics, wherein each host load metric corresponds to a host of the plurality of hosts and represents a computing resource utilization of VMs executed by the corresponding host; and
a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to:
calculate a load imbalance metric based on the plurality of host load metrics, wherein the load imbalance metric represents variability of the host load metrics;
create a graphical balance indicator bar comprising a center, a first acceptable imbalance boundary that is positioned on a first side of the center, and a second acceptable imbalance boundary that is positioned on a second side of the center opposite the first side, wherein the first and second acceptable imbalance boundaries are offset from the center by a boundary offset distance that is based on an acceptable imbalance threshold value;
position, based on the calculated load imbalance metric, an imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar relative to the center and one or more of the following: the first acceptable imbalance boundary and the second acceptable imbalance boundary;
generate a load balance recommendation when the imbalance icon exceeds the boundary offset distance such that a center of the imbalance icon is not within the first acceptable imbalance boundary or the second acceptable imbalance boundary, the load balance recommendation comprising adding a defined number of hosts to the computing cluster;
apply the load balancing recommendation when the load balancing recommendation is selected by the user; and
re-position, based on applying the load balancing recommendation, the imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to calculate the load imbalance metric by calculating a standard deviation of the host load metrics.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the center of the graphical balance indicator bar represents a standard deviation of zero, the boundary offset distance represents an acceptable standard deviation, and the processor is programmed to position the imbalance icon at a distance from the center that represents the calculated standard deviation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to position in the graphical balance indicator bar a first nominal imbalance boundary between the center and the first acceptable imbalance boundary and a second nominal imbalance boundary between the center and the second acceptable imbalance boundary, wherein the first and second nominal imbalance boundaries are positioned at a distance from the center that represents a nominal imbalance threshold value.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to position an imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar by positioning a bubble icon in the graphical balance indicator bar.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an input interface coupled to the processor and configured to receive the acceptable imbalance threshold value from a user, wherein the processor is programmed to position the first acceptable imbalance boundary and the second acceptable imbalance boundary based on the received acceptable imbalance threshold value.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a presentation device coupled to the processor and configured to present the graphical balance indicator bar, wherein the input interface is configured to receive the acceptable imbalance threshold value by receiving an adjustment to the position of one or more of the following: the first acceptable imbalance boundary and the second acceptable imbalance boundary.

8. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a plurality of host load metrics, wherein each host load metric corresponds to a host of the plurality of hosts and represents a computing resource utilization of the corresponding host;
calculating, by the computing device, a load imbalance metric representing a variability of the host load metrics;
creating, by the computing device, a graphical balance indicator bar comprising a balance position and an acceptable imbalance boundary that is offset from the balance position by a boundary offset distance that is based on an acceptable imbalance threshold value;
positioning, by the computing device, an imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar relative to the balance position and the acceptable imbalance boundary based on the calculated load imbalance metric;
presenting a load balancing recommendation when the calculated load imbalance metric exceeds the acceptable imbalance threshold value, wherein the load balancing recommendation comprising adding a defined number of hosts to the plurality of hosts;
applying the load balancing recommendation when the load balancing recommendation is selected by the user; and
re-positioning, based on applying the load balancing recommendation, the imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the host load metrics comprises receiving host load metrics that represent a memory utilization of a corresponding host and a processor utilization of the corresponding host.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the host load metrics comprises receiving host load metrics that represent a network utilization of a corresponding host and a storage utilization of the corresponding host.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein calculating the load imbalance metric comprises calculating a standard deviation of the host load metrics, and the balance position of the graphical balance indicator bar represents a standard deviation of zero, the method further comprising determining the boundary offset distance based on an acceptable standard deviation.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the balance position of the graphical balance indicator bar represents an imbalance metric of zero, and positioning the imbalance icon comprises positioning the imbalance icon at a distance from the balance position that is directly proportional to the calculated load imbalance metric.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising positioning in the graphical balance indicator bar a nominal imbalance boundary between the balance position and the acceptable imbalance boundary, wherein the nominal imbalance boundary is positioned at a distance from the balance position that represents a nominal imbalance threshold value.

14. One or more non-transitory computer storage media having computer-executable components comprising:
an imbalance calculation component that when executed causes at least one processor to calculate a load imbalance metric based on a plurality of host load metrics, wherein each host load metric corresponds to a host of a plurality of hosts and represents a computing resource utilization of the corresponding host; and
a graphical representation component that when executed causes at least one processor to:
create a graphical balance indicator bar comprising a balance position and an acceptable imbalance boundary that is offset from the balance position, wherein the balance position represents a load imbalance metric of zero;
position an imbalance icon in the graphical balance indicator bar relative to the balance position and the acceptable imbalance boundary based on the calculated load imbalance metric, wherein the position of the imbalance icon represents a proximity of the calculated load imb

Assignees

• Rider Eric Marshall
• Cannon Iii Thomas C
• Critchlow Matthew
• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Rider Eric Marshall
• Cannon Iii Thomas C
• Critchlow Matthew

Classifications

• G06F2201/815

  Virtual · CPC title

• G06F9/45558

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F11/3466

  Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring · CPC title

• G06F2009/4557

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

• G06F11/3433 Primary

  for load management (allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029) · CPC title