Patent Application
20120144389
1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relates generally to the field of data center management, and more particularly to methods, systems, and program products for optimally deploying virtual images in a data center comprising servers having heterogeneous hardware architectures and resources.
2. Description of Related Art
A logical partition (LPAR) is the division of a computer's processors, memory, storage, and input/output into multiple sets of resources so that each set of resources can be operated independently with its own operating system instance and applications. The number of logical partitions that can be created depends on the system's processor model and resources available. Typically, partitions are used for different purposes such as database operations or client/server operations or to separate test and production environments. Each LPAR can communicate with the other LPARs as if the other LPAR were a separate machine. Logical partitioning allows the computer's resources to be used more efficiently.
Recently, virtualization technology has been expanded with workload partitions (WPARs). WPAR technology allows administrators to virtualize their operating system, which allows for fewer operating system images on a partitioned server. Prior to WPARs, an administrator would need to create a new LPAR for each new isolated environment. Every LPAR requires its own operating system image and a certain number of physical resources.
WPARs are simpler to manage than LPARs. A shortcoming of LPARs is the need to maintain multiple operating system images, which may lead to over-committing expensive hardware resources. While partitioning helps to consolidate and virtualize hardware within a physical machine, operating system virtualization through WPAR technology goes further and allows for an even more granular approach to resource management.
LPARs and WPARs may be collectively referred to as virtual images. Currently, there is no method of deploying virtual images in a way that is optimized for hardware architecture. For example, certain images may perform better on a virtual partition on an IBM® zSeries® server than on an IBM® xSeries® server, or vice versa, but there is no way to discover this.
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for optimally deploying a virtual image in a system of servers having different architectures and resources. A method according to one embodiment of the present invention automatically deploys a first virtual image to each of a plurality of servers in a heterogeneous system of servers. The method monitors performance of the first virtual image on each the servers. The method calculates a quality of service metric for the first virtual image on each server. The method ranks the servers in terms of the quality of service metric for the first virtual image. The method automatically redeploys the first virtual image to a highest ranked server in terms of quality of service metric for the first virtual image.
In some embodiments, the method examines outgoing network traffic from the first virtual image to recipient images deployed on servers throughout the system. The method ranks the recipient images in terms of network traffic from the first virtual image. The method automatically deploys the recipient image ranked highest, in terms of network traffic, to a server located physically nearest the server upon which the first virtual image is deployed. In some embodiments, the method determines if the server to which the first virtual image is deployed is optimal for the highest ranked recipient image. If the server to which the first virtual image is deployed is optimal for the highest ranked recipient image, the method deploys the highest ranked recipient image to the same server to which the first virtual image is deployed.
In other embodiments, the first virtual image has a range of quality of service metric values from a maximum value to a minimum value. An embodiment of the method determines a number of servers to which the first virtual image has been deployed where the quality of service metric is greater than the maximum value. If the quality of service metric is greater than the maximum value on more than a preselected number of servers, the embodiment automatically reduces the resources allocated to the first virtual image on the server to which the first virtual image is deployed.
In still other embodiments, the method monitors performance of the first virtual image over different date and time periods. The method uses quality of service information for the first virtual image to forecast periods in which the quality of service for the first virtual image will fall below a predetermined threshold. The method automatically deploys additional instances of the first virtual image in anticipation of forecasted periods in which the quality of service for the first virtual image will fall below the predetermined threshold.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:
Referring now to the drawings, and first to
Each server 101 is a capable of virtualization, having installed thereon one or more virtual images 105. Virtual images 105 may be logical partitions (LPARs) or workload partitions (WPARs). An LPAR is a division of the resources 103 of host system 101 into a set of resources so that each set of resources can be operated independently with its own operating system instance and application or applications. An LPAR may include one or more WPARs. A WPAR is a further division of the resources 103 of host system 101 into a set of resources such that each set of resources can be operated independently with its own virtualized operating system image and applications. Inside a WPAR, the application or applications have private execution environments that are isolated from other processes outside the WPAR. Virtual images may be dynamically relocated from one server 101 to another server 101.
Host system 101 includes a hypervisor 107. Hypervisor 107 provides the foundation for virtualization of host server 101. Hypervisor 107 enables the hardware resources 103 of host server 101 to be divided into the multiple virtual images 105 and it ensures strong isolation between them. Hypervisor 107 is responsible for dispatching the virtual image 105 workloads across the physical processors. Hypervisor 107 also enforces partition security and it can provide inter-partition communication among virtual images 105 hosted on the same host server 101.
Servers 101 are interconnected through a network, indicated generally at 109. Network 109 may comprise a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or a system of interconnected networks. System 100 may be a relatively small installation of servers 101 located in a single room or building, or a larger installation of servers 101 located on a campus, or a very large installation of servers 101 located across the country or the world. The configuration of network 109 depends on the size and extent of system 100.
System 100 includes a management console 111. Management console 111 may be implemented in any suitable computer coupled to network 109. Management console 111 provides a user interface to a system administrator and it is programmed to perform virtual image deployment optimization according to the present invention. Management console 111 controls resources allocated to each virtual image 105. As will be described in detail hereinafter, management console 111 automatically deploys virtual images 105 to different servers 101 and monitors the performance of deployed virtual images 105 on the various servers 101. Management console 111 analyzes performance data to deploy virtual images optimally throughout system 100.
Management console 111 maintains a server data structure 113. Server data structure 113 maintains information for each server 101 including, among other things, the server's host name, resources, physical location of the server, and a current performance ranking for each virtual image. Management console 111 also maintains a virtual image data structure 115. Virtual image data structure maintains information for each virtual image 105 including, among other things, the host architecture upon which the virtual image executes, a range of acceptable quality of service (QoS) metrics for the virtual image, system resource requirements for the image, and a list of possible servers to which the image may be deployed. When a virtual image 105 is added to system 100, an administrator specifies the QoS range, system resource requirements, and the supported architectures for the virtual image.
After monitoring the performance of virtual image m on server n, management console 111 calculates a QoS metric for virtual image m on server n, at block 215. After calculating the QoS metric for virtual image m on server n, management console 111 stores the stores the calculated QoS metric for virtual image m on server n with time information in virtual image data structure 115 of
In the embodiment of
In another aspect of the present invention, management console 111 collocates dependent virtual images within system 100.
The QoS metric information collected during processing according to the embodiment of
Returning to decision block 405, if the QoS is greater than the maximum QoS for the virtual image on server n the process sets t equal to t+1, at block 411, and determines, at decision block 413, if t is equal T. If t is not equal to T, processing continues to block 407. If t is equal to T, which indicates that the QoS metric exceed the maximum on the threshold number of servers, management console 111 automatically reduces that resource allocation to the virtual image on the server to which it is deployed, at block 415. The deallocated resources may be placed in an inactive pool rather than being immediately allocated to other virtual images running on the server. Management console 111 then monitors the performance of the image, at block 417. If, as determined at decision block 419, after reduction of resources allocated to the virtual image, the QoS value for the virtual image on the server to which the virtual image is deployed is greater than a minimum value set for the virtual image, processing end. If the reduction of resources results in a degradation of performance below the minimum QoS value on the server to which the virtual image is deployed, management console 111 restores the deallocated resources to the virtual image, at block 421.
In yet another of its aspects, embodiments of the present invention perform demand forecasting and automatic deployment of additional instances of virtual images based on forecasted demand.
Referring now to
Referring to
Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 614 connected to I/O bus 612 provides an interface to PCI local bus 616. A number of modems may be connected to PCI local bus 616. Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to network 109 in
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in
The data processing system depicted in
With reference now to
An operating system runs on processor 702 and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within data processing system 700 in
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium or media having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium or media may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
The computer program instructions comprising the program code for carrying out aspects of the present invention may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the foregoing flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the foregoing flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that systems and methods according to the present invention are well adapted to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. While the present invention has been described with reference to presently preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the foregoing description, will recognize alternative embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.
