Efficient power management of a system with virtual machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9489035-B2
Application number	US-201514970453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Nov 15, 2005
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Efficient power management of a system with virtual machines is disclosed. In particular, such efficient power management may enable coordination of system-wide power changes with virtual machines. Additionally, such efficient power management may enable coherent power changes in a system with a virtual machine monitor. Furthermore, such efficient power management may enable dynamic control and communication of power state changes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a processor;
one or more memories in communication with the processor when the system is operational, the one or more memories having stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the processor at least cause the system to:
receive by a first virtual machine a notification of an impending system power change;
in response to the notification, perform an action by the first virtual machine to prepare for the impending system power change; and
forward, by the first virtual machine, a second notification to a second virtual machine.

2. The system of claim 1 , the one or more memories having further stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the processor at least cause the system to forward, by the first virtual machine, the first and second notifications to the second virtual machine.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises powering down a connected device assigned to the first virtual machine.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises saving files to a disk.

5. The system of claim 2 , the one or more memories having further stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the processor at least cause the system to take at least one first and second action by the second virtual machine in response to the received first and second notifications.

6. The system of claim 1 the one or more memories having further stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the processor at least cause the system to perform one of a retrieval, a restoration, and a reconstruction of confidential data of each virtual machine on the system.

7. The system of claim 1 the one or more memories having further stored thereon instructions that upon execution by the processor at least cause the system to notify a virtual machine monitor that a power state change is required.

8. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that upon execution on a processor, at least cause a computing device to:
receive by a first virtual machine a notification of an impending system power change;
in response to the notification, perform an action by the first virtual machine to prepare for the impending system power change; and
forward, by the first virtual machine, a second notification to a second virtual machine.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 having further stored thereon computer-readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, at least cause the computing device to forward, by the first virtual machine, the first and second notifications to the second virtual machine.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9 having further stored thereon computer-readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, at least cause the computing device to take at least one first and second action by the second virtual machine in response to the received first and second notifications.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises powering down a connected device assigned to the first virtual machine.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises saving files to a disk.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 having further stored thereon computer-readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, at least cause the computing device to perform one of a retrieval, a restoration, and a reconstruction of confidential data of each virtual machine on the system.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 having further stored thereon computer-readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, at least cause the computing device to notify a virtual machine monitor that a power state change is required.

15. A method for efficiently managing power used by one or more computing devices, comprising:
receive by a first virtual machine a notification of an impending system power change;
in response to the notification, perform an action by the first virtual machine to prepare for the impending system power change; and
forward, by the first virtual machine, a second notification to a second virtual machine.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising forwarding, by the first virtual machine, the first and second notifications to the second virtual machine.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising taking at least one first and second action by the second virtual machine in response to the received first and second notifications.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises powering down a connected device assigned to the first virtual machine.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises saving files to a disk.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising notifying a virtual machine monitor that a power state change is required.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Oney Adrian J
• Willman Bryan Mark
• Traut Eric P
• Foltz Forrest Curtis
• Hendel Matthew D
• Vega Rene Antonio

Classifications

• G06F21/575 Primary

  Secure boot · CPC title

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• G06F1/30

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title

• G06F2009/45583

  Memory management, e.g. access or allocation · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title