A Model of Virtual Machines to Support Storage Processes

Abstract

Virtual machines are widely used to support applications with virtual computation service of computer resources in a cluster of servers. Application processes on a virtual machine can take usage of not only CPUs but also storage resources like files and databases independently of heterogeneity and location of each host server. In addition, virtual machines can migrate from a host server to a guest server in the live manner. In this paper, we consider storage processes which read and write data in files of storages like HDD. We propose a model for performing storage processes on virtual machines and migrating virtual machines supporting files from host servers to guest servers. Here, every file used by application processes is stored in a storage server and every virtual machine supporting files resides on the storage server. If a storage process using a file is issued, a virtual machine supporting the file is found in servers. Virtual machines migrate to working servers, and storage processes on virtual machines are performed. If a virtual machine supporting read-only files is overloaded, a clone of the virtual machine is created on the storage server and new processes reading the file is performed on the clone.