Virtual machine migration while maintaining live network links

Abstract

Disclosed is a source host including a processor. The processor operates a virtual machine (VM) to communicate network traffic over a communication link. The processor also initiates migration of the VM to a destination host. The processor also suspends the VM during migration of the VM to the destination host. The source host also includes a live migration circuit coupled to the processor. The live migration circuit manages a session associated with the communication link while the VM is suspended during migration. The live migration circuit buffers changes to a session state and transfers the buffered session state changes to the destination host for replay after the VM is reactivated on the destination host. The live migration circuit keeps the sessions alive during migration to alleviate connection losses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . At least one storage device comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least:
 initiate live migration of a virtual machine from a first hypervisor to a second hypervisor with preservation of network connections of the virtual machine during the live migration;   transfer memory of the virtual machine from the first hypervisor to the second hypervisor while the virtual machine is active at the first hypervisor;   transfer a state of the virtual machine from the first hypervisor to the second hypervisor;   cause the virtual machine to be suspended at the first hypervisor in response to the transfer of the memory and the state of the machine;   offload packet processing associated with a network connection from a central processing unit to a field programmable gate array-based accelerator; and   cause the virtual machine to be started at the second hypervisor.