Activity-based virtual machine availability in a networked computing environment

A system for activity-based virtual machine (VM) availability control in a networked computing environment, comprising:

• at least one memory device comprising instructions;
• a bus coupled to the at least one memory device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the system to:
• monitor network traffic through a VM on a host machine in the networked computing environment;
• perform a packet inspection of the network traffic to identify a set of processes of the VM that are associated with the network traffic and a priority of each of the set of processes, the network traffic being specifically designated for the VM;
• compare a volume of the network traffic associated with the set of processes to an availability threshold;
• and
• responsive to the volume of high priority network traffic falling below the availability threshold, conserving network bandwidth used by the VM by performing a network traffic disablement action with respect to network traffic to the VM and network traffic from the VM without disabling the VM.

A computer program product for activity-based virtual machine (VM) availability control in a networked computing environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage device, to:

• monitor network traffic through a VM on a host machine in the networked computing environment;
• perform a packet inspection of the network traffic to identify a set of processes of the VM that are associated with the network traffic and a priority of each of the set of processes, the network traffic being specifically designated for the VM;
• compare a volume of the network traffic associated with the set of processes to an availability threshold;
• and
• responsive to the volume of high priority network traffic falling below the availability threshold, conserving network bandwidth used by the VM by performing a network traffic disablement action with respect to network traffic to the VM and network traffic from the VM without disabling the VM.

A method for deploying a system for activity-based virtual machine (VM) availability control in a networked computing environment, comprising:

• deploying a computer infrastructure being operable to:
• monitor network traffic through a VM on a host machine in the networked computing environment;
• perform a packet inspection of the network traffic to identify a set of processes of the VM that are associated with the network traffic and a priority of each of the set of processes, the network traffic being specifically designated for the VM;
• compare a volume of the network traffic associated with the set of processes to an availability threshold;
• and
• responsive to the volume of high priority network traffic falling below the availability threshold, conserving network bandwidth used by the VM by performing a network traffic disablement action with respect to network traffic to the VM and network traffic from the VM without disabling the VM.