Migrating virtual machines between computing devices

A computing device comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• determine that a network management system (NMS) has initiated a virtual machine migration from a separate computing device to the computing device, wherein the virtual machine is communicatively coupled to a virtual private network (VPN) via a first attachment circuit using a first network stack based on a first set of network parameters while executed by the separate computing device, and wherein the first set of network parameters contain data specific to the first network stack and the first attachment circuit,
• after execution of the virtual machine by the separate computing device has stopped:
• receive checkpoint data for the virtual machine, wherein the checkpoint data is for use in restarting the virtual machine from when the virtual machine stopped,
• execute the virtual machine, using at least some of the checkpoint data,
• receive a message from a provider edge (PE) routing device to which the computing device is communicatively coupled, wherein the message includes data specifying a second set of network parameters based on configuration data of the PE routing device, wherein the second set of network parameters is different from the first set of network parameters, wherein the second set of network parameters contain information regarding a second attachment circuit for reattaching a guest operating system of the virtual machine to the VPN, and wherein the PE routing device sends the message in response to a notification from the NMS that the virtual machine is to be migrated from the first computing device to the second computing device,
• construct a second network stack for the guest operating system of the virtual machine based on the second set of network parameters, and
• cause the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled, using the network interface, to the VPN via a second attachment circuit using the second network stack, wherein the second attachment circuit is different than the first attachment circuit.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a computing device to:

• determine that a network management system (NMS) has initiated a virtual machine migration from a first computing device to the second computing device, wherein the virtual machine is communicatively coupled to a virtual private network (VPN) via a first attachment circuit using a first network stack based on a first set of network parameters while executed by the separate computing device, and wherein the first set of network parameters contain data specific to the first network stack and the first attachment circuit, after execution of the virtual machine by the first computing device has stopped:
• receive checkpoint data for the virtual machine, wherein the checkpoint data is for use in restarting the virtual machine from when the virtual machine stopped;
• execute the virtual machine using at least some of the checkpoint data;
• receive a message from a provider edge (PE) routing device to which the computing device is communicatively coupled, wherein the message includes data specifying a second set of network parameters based on configuration data of the PE routing device, wherein the second set of network parameters is different from the first set of network parameters, wherein the second set of network parameters contain information regarding a second attachment circuit for reattaching a guest operating system of the virtual machine to the VPN, and wherein the PE routing device sends the message in response to a notification from the NMS that the virtual machine is to be migrated from the first computing device to the second computing device;
• construct a second network stack for the guest operating system of the virtual machine based on the second set of network parameters;
• and
• cause the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled to the VPN via the second attachment circuit using the second network stack, wherein the second attachment circuit is different than the first attachment circuit.

A system comprising:

• a first provider edge (PE) routing device that provides access to a virtual private network (VPN);
• a second PE routing device that provides access to the VPN;
• a network management system (NMS);
• a first computing device coupled to the first PE routing device via a first attachment circuit, wherein the first computing device is configured to execute a virtual machine, wherein the virtual machine is communicatively coupled to the VPN via the first attachment circuit using a first network stack based on a first set of network parameters, and wherein the first set of network parameters contain data specific to the first network stack and the first attachment circuit;
• and a second computing device coupled to the second PE routing device via a second attachment circuit,
• wherein the NMS is configured to initiate a virtual machine migration from the first computing device to the second computing device and to send a first message to the second PE routing device indicating that the virtual machine has migrated to the second computing device,
• wherein the first computing device is configured to stop execution of the virtual machine and to create checkpoint data for the virtual machine,
• wherein the second PE routing device is configured to send, in response to the first message from the NMS that the virtual machine has migrated from the first computing device to the second computing device, a second message to the second computing device, the second message including a second set of network parameters for causing the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled to the VPN via the second attachment circuit,
• wherein the second set of network parameters are different from the first set of network parameters, and
• wherein the second set of network parameters contain information regarding the second attachment circuit for reattaching a guest operating system of the virtual machine to the VPN, and wherein, in response to the second message, the second computing device is configured to receive the checkpoint data for the virtual machine, wherein the checkpoint data is for use in restarting the virtual machine from when the virtual machine stopped,
• execute the virtual machine using at least some of the checkpoint data, receive the second message from the second PE routing device, construct a second network stack for the guest operating system of the virtual machine based on the second set of network parameters, and to cause the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled to the VPN via the second attachment circuit using the second network stack based on the second set of network parameters, wherein the second attachment circuit is different than the first attachment circuit.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a provider edge (PE) routing device, a first message from a network management system (NMS) indicating that the NMS has initiated a virtual machine migration from a first computing device to a second computing device and that the virtual machine has migrated from the first computing device to the second computing device;
• determining, by the PE routing device, that the virtual machine has migrated from the first computing device to the second computing device based on the first message, wherein the virtual machine is communicatively coupled to a virtual private network (VPN) via a first attachment circuit using a first network stack based on a first set of network parameters while executed by the first computing device, wherein the first set of network parameters contain data specific to the first network stack and the first attachment circuit, and wherein the PE routing device is communicatively coupled to the second computing device;
• and
• in response to determining that the virtual machine has migrated to the second computing device, sending, by the PE routing device, a second message to the second computing device including a second set of network parameters for causing the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled to the VPN via a second attachment circuit, wherein the second set of network parameters are different from the first set of network parameters, wherein the second set of network parameters contain information regarding the second attachment circuit for reattaching a guest operating system of the virtual machine to the VPN, wherein the second attachment circuit couples the virtual machine to the PE routing device, wherein sending the second message comprises configuring the second message to cause the second computing device to construct a second network stack for the guest operating system of the virtual machine based on the second set of network parameters and to cause the virtual machine to become communicatively coupled to the VPN via the second attachment circuit using the second network stack based on the second set of network parameters, and wherein the second attachment circuit is different than the first attachment circuit.