US 8,286,174 B1Granted

Executing a multicomponent software application on a virtualized computer platform

AssigneeVMware, Inc.

InventorsRene W. Schmidt, Karl E. Rumelhart

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Abstract

A virtualized computer platform is established and maintained by virtualization software on one or more physical computers. A multicomponent software application may execute on the virtualized computer platform, with different components of the application executing in different virtual machines, which are supported by the virtualization software. The virtualization software may also provide, and/or facilitate the provision of, one or more services that may be beneficial to the operation of the multicomponent software application, such as automated provisioning, resource allocation, VM distribution, performance monitoring, resource management, high availability, backup, disaster recovery, alarms, security, etc. In some embodiments of the invention, some of these services are provided through coordinated efforts of a system resource manager, a VM manager, an application monitor and an application resource manager. In some of these embodiments, an application monitor and an application manager may be included with a multicomponent software application in a single installation package.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method for supporting the execution of a multicomponent software application (MCSA) in a virtual computer system, wherein multiple components of the MCSA execute within multiple virtual machines (VMs) on one or more physical computers, the method comprising:

allocating computing resources to the MCSA to establish MCSA computing resources;
obtaining information about the MCSA, the information including resource requirements of individual components of the MCSA;
using computer software to allocate the MCSA computing resources among the multiple VMs in which the multiple components of the MCSA execute, based on the information about the MCSA, including using computer software to automatically determine an effective set of the components for the MCSA based on the MCSA computing resources, and running this effective set of components within the multiple VMs on the virtual computer system, the effective set being based on the information about the MCSA and on the resource requirements of the individual components;
monitoring performance of the MCSA, the monitoring being specific to identified performance objectives of at least some of the individual components of the MCSA;
and
based on the monitoring that is specific to the performance objectives of at least some of the individual components, using computer software to automatically adjust the allocation of the MCSA computing resources among the VMs in which the components of the MCSA execute, wherein automatically adjusting the allocation is implemented without migrating any VM from the physical computer on which the VM executes and wherein the computing resources which are automatically adjusted based on the monitoring comprise processor cycles and system memory.

3 more elements

A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program being executable in a virtual computer system in which multiple components of a multicomponent software application (MCSA) execute in multiple virtual machines (VMs), wherein computing resources are allocated to the MCSA to establish MCSA computing resources, the computer program comprising:

instructions for allocating the MCSA computing resources among the multiple VMs in which the multiple components of the MCSA execute, based on information about the MCSA, including instructions to automatically determine an effective set of the components for the MCSA based on the MCSA computing resources and to run this effective set of components within the multiple VMs on the virtual computer system, the effective set being based on the information about the MCSA and on resource requirements of the individual components;
instructions for monitoring overall performance of the MCSA to determine whether the operation of the MCSA satisfies performance objectives;
and
instructions for, based on observations related to the performance of the MCSA within the virtual computer system, automatically adjusting the allocation of the MCSA computing resources between the VMs in which the components of the MCSA execute including adjusting the allocation based specifically upon satisfying the performance objectives for the MCSA, wherein adjusting the allocation includes reallocating processor cycles and system memory between the VMs but is implemented without migrating any VM from the physical computer on which the VM executes.

1 more element

A computer system in which multiple components of at least one multicomponent software application (MCSA) execute within multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a virtualized computer platform, the computer system comprising:

computing resources for executing software;
a system manager computer program module for allocating a portion of the computing resources to the MCSA to establish MCSA computing resources;
an application manager computer program module for allocating the MCSA computing resources between the multiple VMs in which the multiple components of the MCSA execute, based on information about the MCSA, including using computer software to automatically determine an effective set of the components for the MCSA based on the MCSA computing resources, and running this effective set of components within the multiple VMs on the virtual computer system, the effective set being based on the information about the MCSA and on the resource requirements of the individual components;
and
an application monitor computer program module for monitoring performance of the MCSA and performance of individual components so as to provide observations related to the operation of the MCSA;
wherein, based on observations related to the operation of the MCSA within the virtual computer system, the application manager computer program module automatically adjusts the allocation of the MCSA computing resources among the VMs in which the components of the MCSA execute but without migrating any VM from the physical computer on which the VM executes, wherein the computing resources comprise processor cycles and system memory.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/405,806Filed 17 Apr 2006
Granted: 9 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 9/5077
Partitioning or combining of resources: logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources
G06F 3/0604
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
G06F 3/0631
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by allocating resources to storage systems
G06F 3/0683
In-line storage system: plurality of storage devices