System, method and computer program product for virtual machine allocation

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for virtual machine allocation is disclosed. The method includes, responsive to receiving a request to allocate a virtual machine, scanning for an atomic clock signal. Responsive to detecting the atomic clock signal, determining a frequency of the atomic clock signal and determining a location of an atomic clock source of the atomic clock signal. A geophysical location of a host for the virtual machine is set as corresponding to the location of the atomic clock source. Responsive to determining that a geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host, the virtual machine is allocated on the host.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A virtual machine allocation method, comprising:
 responsive to receiving a request to allocate a virtual machine, scanning for an atomic clock signal;   responsive to detecting the atomic clock signal, determining a frequency of the atomic clock signal;   determining a location of an atomic clock source of the atomic clock signal;   setting a geophysical location of a host for the virtual machine as corresponding to the location of the atomic clock source;   determining a geophysical policy for the virtual machine indicating a geophysical location where the virtual machine may be allocated;   determining whether the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine; and   responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host, allocating the virtual machine on the host.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising verifying the geophysical location of the host based on acquiring geophysical data from a global positioning system unit coupled to the host. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scanning across a plurality of different frequencies searching for the atomic clock signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating with at least one regional peering host;   analyzing signal latency of communications with the regional peering host; and   verifying the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine based on the signal latency.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to allocate the virtual machine comprises receiving the request by a hypervisor of a cloud environment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine does not correspond to the geophysical location of the host, generating an alert indicating non-allocation of the virtual machine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining and re-verifying the geophysical location of the host in response to a clock adjustment of the host. 
     
     
         8 . A virtual machine allocation system comprising:
 a host having a hypervisor executing thereon, the hypervisor executing instructions to:
 responsive to receiving a request to allocate a virtual machine, scan for an atomic clock signal; 
 responsive to detecting the atomic clock signal, determine a frequency of the atomic clock signal; 
 determine a location of an atomic clock source of the atomic clock signal; 
 set a geophysical location of a host for the virtual machine as corresponding to the location of the atomic clock source; 
 determine a geophysical policy for the virtual machine indicating a geophysical location where the virtual machine may be allocated; 
 determine whether the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine; and 
 responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host, allocate the virtual machine on the host. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hypervisor executes instructions verify the geophysical location of the host based on acquiring geophysical data from a global positioning system unit coupled to the host. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the hypervisor executes instructions to scan across a plurality of different frequencies searching for the atomic clock signal. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hypervisor executes instructions to determine and re-verify the geophysical location of the host in response to a clock adjustment of the host. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hypervisor executes instructions to:
 communicate with at least one regional peering host;   analyze signal latency of communications with the regional peering host; and   determine the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine based on the signal latency.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hypervisor executes instructions to, responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine does not correspond to the geophysical location of the host, generate an alert indicating non-allocation of the virtual machine. 
     
     
         14 . A computer program product for virtual machine allocation, the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising computer readable program code configured to:
 responsive to receiving a request to allocate a virtual machine, scan for an atomic clock signal; 
 responsive to detecting the atomic clock signal, determine a frequency of the atomic clock signal; 
 determine a location of an atomic clock source of the atomic clock signal; 
 set a geophysical location of a host for the virtual machine as corresponding to the location of the atomic clock source; 
 determine a geophysical policy for the virtual machine indicating a geophysical location where the virtual machine may be allocated; 
 determine whether the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine; and 
 responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine corresponds to the geophysical location of the host, allocate the virtual machine on the host. 
   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to verify the geophysical location of the host based on acquiring geophysical data from a global positioning system unit coupled to the host. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to scan across a plurality of different frequencies searching for the atomic clock signal. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to access relational information to identify the location of the atomic clock source based on the frequency of the detected atomic clock signal. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to:
 communicate with at least one regional peering host;   analyze signal latency of communications with the regional peering host; and   determine the geophysical location of the host for the virtual machine based on the signal latency.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to, responsive to determining that the geophysical policy for the virtual machine does not correspond to the geophysical location of the host, generate an alert indicating non-allocation of the virtual machine. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to determine and re-verify the geophysical location of the host in response to a clock adjustment of the host.