Dynamically modifying the resources of a virtual server
View Patent ↗A system and a method dynamically adjusts the quality of service guarantees for virtual servers based upon the resource demands experienced by the virtual servers. Virtual server resource denials are monitored to determine if a virtual server is overloaded based upon the resource denials. Virtual server resources are modified dynamically to respond to the changing resource requirements of each virtual server. Occasionally, a physical host housing a virtual server may not have additional resources to allocate to a virtual server requiring increased resources. In this instance, a virtual server hosted by the overloaded physical host is transferred to another physical host with sufficient resources.
1. A network system for dynamically modifying the computer resources allocated to a virtual server, the network system comprising a plurality of physical hosts, the virtual server operating in a first physical host, the computer resources allocated to the virtual server being specified as a quality of service guarantee, the network system comprising:
a virtual server resource monitor communicatively coupled to the first physical host and configured to monitor resource denials and to send a virtual server overloaded signal in response to the resource denials;
a virtual server resource modifier communicatively coupled to the first physical host and configured to receive the virtual server overloaded signal and, in response to the virtual server overloaded signal, to modify a resource allocation for the virtual server and to send a virtual server resource modification signal;
a load balancing module communicatively coupled to the plurality of physical hosts and configured to receive the virtual server resource modification signal and to determine whether the first physical host is overloaded and, in response to a determination that the first physical host is overloaded, to send a physical host transfer signal that indicates a second physical host; and
a dynamic virtual server mover communicatively coupled to the plurality of physical hosts and configured to receive the physical host transfer signal and, in response to the physical host transfer signal, to transfer the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host.
2. The network system of claim 1 , further comprising a file system communicatively coupled to the plurality of physical hosts and configured to store virtual server system files.
3. The network system of claim 2 , wherein the dynamic virtual server mover is further configured to direct the first physical host to store, in the file system, a set of system files for the virtual server and to direct the second physical host to access, from the file system, the set of system files for the virtual server, thereby transferring the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host.
4. A computer program product to be executed in a computer for dynamically modifying the computer resources allocated to a virtual server operating in a first physical host in a network system, the network system comprising a plurality of physical hosts, the computer resources allocated to the virtual server being specified as a quality of service guarantee, the computer program product comprising:
program code for creating a virtual server resource monitor communicatively coupled to the first physical host and configured to monitor resource denials and, in response to the resource denials, to send a virtual server overloaded signal;
program code for creating a virtual server resource modifier communicatively coupled to the first physical host and configured to receive the virtual server overloaded signal and, in response to the virtual server overloaded signal, to modify a resource allocation for the virtual server and to send a virtual server resource modification signal;
program code for creating a load balancing module communicatively coupled to the plurality of physical hosts and configured to receive the virtual server resource modification signal and to determine whether the first physical host is overloaded and, in response to a determination that the first physical host is overloaded, to send a physical host transfer signal that indicates a second physical host; and
program code for creating a dynamic virtual server mover communicatively coupled to the plurality of physical hosts and configured to receive the physical host transfer signal and, in response to the physical host transfer signal, to transfer the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host.
5. A method performed by a computing device, having a processor and memory, for modifying the computer resources allocated to a virtual server operating in a first physical host of multiple physical hosts, comprising:
receiving an indication that a first physical host is overloaded, wherein the indication is based on a determination that a virtual server is overloaded and wherein the determination that a virtual server is overloaded is based on one or more resource unavailable messages resulting from denied requests to modify a resource allocation;
determining that a second physical host can accommodate the requested modified resource allocation; and
generating a physical host transfer signal that indicates the second physical host and transferring the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host.
6. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations configured to modify computer resources allocated to a virtual server operating in a first physical host of multiple physical hosts, the operations comprising:
receiving an indication that a first physical host is overloaded, wherein the indication is based on a determination that a virtual server is overloaded and wherein the determination that a virtual server is overloaded is based on one or more resource unavailable messages resulting from denied requests to modify a resource allocation;
determining that a second physical host can accommodate the requested modified resource allocation; and
generating a physical host transfer signal that indicates the second physical host and transferring the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host if the first physical host is overloaded.
7. A system for modifying the computer resources allocated to a virtual server operating in a first physical host of multiple physical hosts, the system comprising:
one or more processors and one or more memories;
a component configured to receive an indication that a first physical host is overloaded, wherein the indication is based on a determination that a virtual server is overloaded and wherein the determination that a virtual server is overloaded is based on one or more resource unavailable messages resulting from denied requests to modify a resource allocation;
a component configured to determine that a second physical host can accommodate the requested modified resource allocation; and
a component configured to generate a physical host transfer signal that indicates a second physical host and to transfer the virtual server from the first physical host to the second physical host if the first physical host is overloaded.