Patent ID: 8850156
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for managing a Virtual Machine (VM) storage space, applicable to a physical host, wherein the physical host comprises a hardware layer, a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) layer running on the hardware layer, and a VM running on the VMM layer, wherein a Storage Balloon Agent (SBA) module is deployed in the VM, and a Storage Balloon Daemon (SBD) module is deployed in the VMM layer, the method comprising: acquiring, by the SBA module, virtual storage blocks occupied by an expanded part of a predefined file or virtual storage blocks occupied by a contracted part of the predefined file according to results obtained by comparing a size of virtual storage space occupied by the predefined file and a limit value range indicating virtual storage free space which is allowed to be occupied by the predefined file, wherein the predefined file is used to occupy certain virtual storage free space, and delivering virtual storage free block information indicating the virtual storage blocks to the SBD module; releasing, by the SBD module, a part or all of a physical storage space corresponding to the virtual storage free block information so that the released physical storage space can be re-allocated, and marking virtual storage blocks corresponding to the released physical storage space as unavailable in a VM storage format; wherein acquiring, by the SBA module, the virtual storage blocks and delivering the virtual storage free block information to the SBD module comprises: wherein releasing, by the SBD module, a part or all of the physical storage space corresponding to the virtual storage free block information, and marking the virtual storage blocks corresponding to the released physical storage space as unavailable in a VM storage format comprises: wherein releasing the physical storage space corresponding to a part or all of the first virtual storage blocks marked as free according to the policy comprises: