US 8,898,508 B2 · Method and system for enabling checkpointing fault tolerance across remote virtual machines

Abstract

A checkpointing fault tolerance network architecture enables a backup computer system to be remotely located from a primary computer system. An intermediary computer system is situated between the primary computer system and the backup computer system to manage the transmission of checkpoint information to the backup VM in an efficient manner. The intermediary computer system is networked to the primary VM through a first connection and is networked to the backup VM through a second connection. The intermediary computer system identifies updated data corresponding to memory pages that have been less frequently modified by the primary VM and transmits such updated data to the backup VM through the first connection. In such manner, the intermediary computer system holds back updated data corresponding to more frequently modified memory pages, since such memory pages may be more likely to be updated again in the future.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for transmitting an updated state of a primary computer system to a backup computer system through an intermediary computer system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the intermediary computer system, checkpoint information packets from the primary computer system through a first connection, each of the received checkpoint information packets comprising updated data corresponding to memory pages of the primary computer system that have been modified by the primary computer system;
identifying, by the intermediary computer system, at least one of the memory pages of the primary computer system stored by the intermediary computer system that has been less frequently updated by the primary computer system and has not been transmitted to the backup computer system;
and
transmitting, by the intermediary computer system, the updated data corresponding to the memory pages of the primary computer system to the backup computer system through a second connection by preferentially transmitting the updated data corresponding to the identified at least one of the memory pages, the second connection having lower bandwidth than the first connection.

1 more element

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor of an intermediary computer system, transmit an updated state of a primary computer system to a backup computer system, by performing:

receiving, by the intermediary computer system, checkpoint information packets from the primary computer system, each of the received checkpoint information packets comprising updated data corresponding to memory pages of the primary computer system that have been modified by the primary computer system;
identifying, by the intermediary computer system, at least one of the memory pages of the primary computer system stored by the intermediary computer system that has been less frequently updated by the primary computer system and has not been transmitted to the backup computer system;
and
transmitting, by the intermediary computer system, the updated data corresponding to the identified at least one of the memory pages to the backup computer system.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for enabling checkpointing fault tolerance across remote virtual machines

Life of this patent

Method and system for enabling checkpointing fault tolerance across remote virtual machines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20