Method for efficient guest operating system (OS) migration over a network

摘要

A method, data processing system and computer program product enables efficient transfer of a virtual machine from a first data processing system (DPS) to a second DPS using a combination of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Uniform Data Protocol (UDP). A virtual machine migration (VMM) utility identifies all memory pages of the first virtual machine. The VMM utility notifies the second DPS via TCP of the scheduled transfer of the virtual machine. The VMM utility copies and transfers the memory pages of the virtual machine to the second DPS via UDP. When all expected components of the virtual machine are not received by the second DPS and/or memory data is modified within the memory pages during the migration, the VMM utility combines the missing data and the modified data and transfers the final components of the virtual machine using TCP. Execution of the virtual machine resumes on the second DPS.