Method and Apparatus for Providing Virtual Machine Information to a Network Interface

摘要

A hypervisor preferably provides VM (virtual machine) identification, priority and LUN/LBA range information to the HBA (hoist bus adapter) when a VM is created. Alternatively, the HBA can determine that a LUN/LBA range is new and request VM identity, priority and LUN/LBA range from the hypervisor. The HBA creates a table containing the VM identification, priority and LUN/LBA range. The HBA then detects operations directed to the LUN/LBA range and does a lookup to determine VM identification and priority. VM identification and priority are then mapped into a field in a frame using a unique identifier. The unique identifier can be placed using reserved bits on the existing Fibre Channel (FC) header or can use bits in an additional header, such as a modified IFR header or an optional device header. The VM identification aware HBAs register with the NS.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a host computer; a network interface connected to the host computer and for coupling to a storage area network (SAN); and a hypervisor executing on the host computer, wherein the hypervisor:
determines virtual machine (VM) information when a VM is created; andprovides the VM information to the network interface when the VM information is determined, wherein the network interface incorporates a unique identifier based on the VM information into outgoing frames to allow the frames to be identified with the VM throughout the network, and wherein the frame has a Fibre Channel portion and the unique identifier incorporated into an optional header in the Fibre Channel portion.