# US 2026/0089221 A1 · Seamless Migration of Containers Between Host Nodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0089221 A1 - Document ID: US20260089221A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/892,883 - Filed: 2024-09-23 - Published: 2026-03-26 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-23 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Hong Jun Tu; Yiwen Huang; Wen Tao Zhang; Hongsen Liu; Ye Cui; Li Gu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260089221A1 ## CPC - H04L 67/148: Migration or transfer of sessions - H04L 45/03: by updating link state protocols - H04L 67/563: Data redirection of data network streams - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Migrating containers between host nodes is provided. An indication is received that a checkpointed state of a container running an application providing at least one of a set of critical services or a set of non-critical services was transferred from a source host node to a target host node. In response to receiving the indication, a migration helper located on the target host node is directed to restore and run the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services on the target host node without interruption of the set of critical services based on the checkpointed state of the container transferred from the source host node and an internal IP address of the container that did not change during migration to the target host node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving an indication that a checkpointed state of a container running an application providing at least one of a set of critical services or a set of non-critical services was transferred from a source host node to a target host node; and responsive to receiving the indication, directing a migration helper located on the target host node to restore and run the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services on the target host node without interruption of the set of critical services based on the checkpointed state of the container transferred from the source host node and an internal IP address of the container that did not change during migration to the target host node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: directing a network helper located on the target host node to update a routing table with a new external floating IP address of the container that changed during the migration to the target host node ensuring that future requests for the set of non-critical services are routed to the target host node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: directing a migration helper located on the source host node to checkpoint a current state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to form the checkpointed state of the container; and directing the migration helper located on the source host node to transfer the checkpointed state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to the target host node based on live migration technology. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: directing a network helper located on the source host node to generate a new external floating IP address for the container in accordance with a container network interface standard; and directing the network helper located on the source host node to transfer the new external floating IP address for the container to the target host node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a request from a client device user to initiate the migration of the container running the application that provides the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services corresponding to an entity from the source host node to the target host node in a container orchestration environment, the container includes the internal IP address that does not change and an external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node, the external floating IP address is based on a container network interface standard of the container orchestration environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the set of critical services utilizes the internal IP address that does not change and the set of non-critical services utilizes the external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the checkpointed state of the container includes current execution state, memory state, and network connections of the container. ### Claim 8 A computer system comprising: a processor set; one or more computer-readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media to cause the processor set to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication that a checkpointed state of a container running an application providing at least one of a set of critical services or a set of non-critical services was transferred from a source host node to a target host node; and responsive to receiving the indication, directing a migration helper located on the target host node to restore and run the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services on the target host node without interruption of the set of critical services based on the checkpointed state of the container transferred from the source host node and an internal IP address of the container that did not change during migration to the target host node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a network helper located on the target host node to update a routing table with a new external floating IP address of the container that changed during the migration to the target host node ensuring that future requests for the set of non-critical services are routed to the target host node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a migration helper located on the source host node to checkpoint a current state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to form the checkpointed state of the container; and directing the migration helper located on the source host node to transfer the checkpointed state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to the target host node based on live migration technology. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a network helper located on the source host node to generate a new external floating IP address for the container in accordance with a container network interface standard; and directing the network helper located on the source host node to transfer the new external floating IP address for the container to the target host node. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a request from a client device user to initiate the migration of the container running the application that provides the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services corresponding to an entity from the source host node to the target host node in a container orchestration environment, the container includes the internal IP address that does not change and an external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node, the external floating IP address is based on a container network interface standard of the container orchestration environment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the set of critical services utilizes the internal IP address that does not change and the set of non-critical services utilizes the external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node. ### Claim 14 A computer program product comprising: one or more computer-readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication that a checkpointed state of a container running an application providing at least one of a set of critical services or a set of non-critical services was transferred from a source host node to a target host node; and responsive to receiving the indication, directing a migration helper located on the target host node to restore and run the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services on the target host node without interruption of the set of critical services based on the checkpointed state of the container transferred from the source host node and an internal IP address of the container that did not change during migration to the target host node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a network helper located on the target host node to update a routing table with a new external floating IP address of the container that changed during the migration to the target host node ensuring that future requests for the set of non-critical services are routed to the target host node. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a migration helper located on the source host node to checkpoint a current state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to form the checkpointed state of the container; and directing the migration helper located on the source host node to transfer the checkpointed state of the container running the application providing the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services to the target host node based on live migration technology. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: directing a network helper located on the source host node to generate a new external floating IP address for the container in accordance with a container network interface standard; and directing the network helper located on the source host node to transfer the new external floating IP address for the container to the target host node. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a request from a client device user to initiate the migration of the container running the application that provides the at least one of the set of critical services or the set of non-critical services corresponding to an entity from the source host node to the target host node in a container orchestration environment, the container includes the internal IP address that does not change and an external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node, the external floating IP address is based on a container network interface standard of the container orchestration environment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the set of critical services utilizes the internal IP address that does not change and the set of non-critical services utilizes the external floating IP address that does change during the migration from the source host node to the target host node. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the checkpointed state of the container includes current execution state, memory state, and network connections of the container.