Patent ID: 8086821
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An input-output memory management unit (IOMMU) configured for tracking memory pages during virtual-machine migration comprising a live migration of a virtual machine from a source server to a destination server, the IOMMU comprising: an IOMMU manager to service address translation requests associated with memory pages received from a plurality of I/O devices; a translation request filter to identify translations previously requested from a translation manager; and a device context table to identify whether virtual-machine migration is enabled for memory pages associated with virtual addresses identified in received address translation requests, wherein based on information in the device context table, the IOMMU manager is configured to send a virtual page identifier to the translation manager identifying a virtual page when virtual-machine migration is enabled to indicate that the virtual page has been accessed, wherein the IOMMU manager refrains from sending the virtual page identifier to the translation manager when the virtual page is listed in the translation request filter, wherein during the virtual-machine migration, a virtual machine manager (VMM) tracks memory transactions and copies memory pages and system state to the destination server and once the memory pages and system state are copied to the destination server operations in the source server are suspended and operations resume on the destination server, and wherein during the virtual-machine migration, the IOMMU is configured to provide notification to the translation manager of any memory pages that were accessed by an I/O device between initial and final copy phases of the virtual-machine migration for tracking by the translation request filter.