High availability using full memory replication between virtual machine instances on a network device

US8806266B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Juniper Networks, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Hui Qu · Santa Clara, US
• Mu Lin · Sunnyvale, US
• Shine-Chu Wang · Sunnyvale, US
• Heng Chu · Palo Alto, US
• Leyi Zhang · Cupertino, US
• Zi Zhou · Sunnyvale, US
• Joel Obstfeld · Bushey, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 2011
• Grant date: Aug 12, 2014
• Expiry date: Nov 30, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F11/1438
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing high availability for a network device, e.g., a router, using full memory replication between a primary virtual machine (VM) and a standby VM running on the network device. In one example, the techniques provide hot-standby high availability for a router by initializing a primary VM and a standby VM on the router at the same time. In another example, the techniques provide high availability for the router by initializing a standby VM on the router upon detecting a failure of the primary VM. In both examples, the primary VM controls the routing functionality and periodically stores a full memory state. Upon a failure of the primary VM, a hypervisor may perform a full memory replication between the primary VM and the standby VM. The standby VM may then take control of the routing functionality at the last stored state of the memory.