System, method and program to migrate a virtual machine

A method for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said method comprising the steps of:

• stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;
• while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, said first real computer communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and said second real computer writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and said second real computer writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer;
• and
• allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

A system for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said system comprising:

• means for stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;
• said first real computer including means, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, for communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and said second real computer including means for writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and said second real computer including means for writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer;
• and
• means for allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

A computer program product for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real computer to a second real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first real computer, said computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable media;
• first program instructions for execution within said first real computer to stop said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first real computer to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first real computer;
• second program instructions for execution within said first real computer, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, to communicate said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second real computer, and third program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second real computer, and fourth program instructions for execution within said second real computer to write said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second real computer;
• and
• fifth program instructions to allocate said second private memory and other resources in said second real computer for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and grant said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory;
• and wherein
• said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are recorded in functional form on said media.

A method for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first logical partition (“LPAR”) to a second logical partition in a same real computer, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said method comprising the steps of:

• stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;
• while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, said first LPAR communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and said second LPAR writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and said second LPAR writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR;
• and
• allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

A system for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real LPAR to a second real LPAR, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said system comprising:

• means for stopping said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;
• said first LPAR including means, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, for communicating said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and said second LPAR including means for writing said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and said second LPAR including means for writing said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR;
• and
• means for allocating said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and granting said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory.

A computer program product for migrating a first virtual machine and a communication queue, including at least one work item, from a first real LPAR to a second real LPAR, before migration, said first virtual machine having an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to said first virtual machine, before migration, said communication queue, including said at least one work item, residing in a first shared memory shared and accessible by said first virtual machine and a second virtual machine in said first LPAR, said LPAR program product comprising:

• a computer readable media;
• first program instructions for execution within said first LPAR to stop said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine in said first LPAR to prevent said first virtual machine and said second virtual machine from updating said communication queue in said first LPAR;
• second program instructions for execution within said first LPAR, operable while said first and second virtual machines are stopped, to communicate said operating system, said application and said communication queue, including said at least one work item, to said second LPAR, and third program instructions for execution within said second LPAR to write said operating system and application into a second private memory in said second LPAR, and fourth program instructions for execution within said second LPAR to write said communication queue, including said at least one work item, into a second shared memory in said second LPAR;
• and
• fifth program instructions to allocate said second private memory and other resources in said second LPAR for a migrated virtual machine corresponding to said first virtual machine, and grant said migrated virtual machine access to said communication queue, including said at least one work item, in said second shared memory;
• and wherein
• said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are recorded in functional form on said media.