US 11,385,974 B1 · Uncorrectable memory error recovery for virtual machine hosts

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable storage media for uncorrectable memory recovery. Different sources of uncorrectable memory error are handled to provide for recovery actions by a host kernel of a machine hosting one or more virtual machines. Rather than defaulting to kernel panic behavior, the host kernel can identify the source of uncorrectable error, and cause the host machine and/or the affected virtual machines to take recovery action that is less disruptive than abrupt shutdown from panic. For example, the host kernel can handle uncorrectable memory error caused by kernel accesses to guest memory of a host virtual machine, as well as uncorrectable memory error improperly raised as a result of known defects in host machine hardware. The host kernel can also be configured to detect sources of overflow in exceptions raised by a processor as a result of uncorrectable memory error.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for uncorrectable memory error recovery, comprising:

receiving, at a kernel for an operating system of a host machine, a machine-check exception indicating an uncorrectable memory error;
determining, by the kernel, that the machine-check exception was received from a processor of the host machine and was raised as a result of performing a flagged operation, wherein the flagged operation is one of one or more predetermined flagged operations, and when executed by the processor, causes the processor to generate the machine-check exception with a pointer in memory that does not point to memory accessed by the processor at a time the machine-check exception was raised;
and in response to the determining, performing one or more recovery actions.

A system comprising:

a host machine comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a kernel for an operating system of the host machine, a machine-check exception indicating an uncorrectable memory error;
determining, by the kernel;
that the machine-check exception was raised as a result of performing a flagged operation, wherein the flagged operation is one of one or more predetermined flagged operations, and when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to generate the machine-check exception with a pointer in memory that does not point to memory accessed by the one or more processors at a time the machine-check exception was raised;
and in response to the determining, performing one or more recovery actions.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Uncorrectable memory error recovery for virtual machine hosts

Life of this patent

Uncorrectable memory error recovery for virtual machine hosts

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20