Information processing device

An information processing device includes: a virtual machine built in the information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device; and an information processing device failure managing unit for detecting a failure in the information processing device. The virtual machine includes: a virtual machine failure managing unit for detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and a failure notifying unit for notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device detected by the virtual machine failure managing unit to the information processing device failure managing unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information processing device. In particular, the present invention relates to an information processing device which directly uses a physical device.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a virtual machine uses a virtual device, such as a virtual network interface and a virtual external storage device, emulated by a virtualization device which starts the virtual machine. Now it is known that an influence of virtual device emulation markedly decreases the throughput performance of a virtual machine and the performance in I/O (Input/Output) with an external storage device. Therefore, when it is desired to realize high-speed communication and high-speed disk I/O performance, there is a case where a virtual machine does not use a virtual device but directly uses a physical device included by a virtualization device (see Patent Document 1, for example).

A cloud service such as IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) is configured in a form that a cloud service provider provides a user with a virtualization device and a network and the user starts any virtual machine and develops their own service.

Further, carrier cloud migration that realizes a communication service provided by a telecom carrier in a cloud infrastructure has been evolved in recent years. For example, carrier cloud migration of EPC (Evolved Packet Core) that is standardized in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) and forms a core network has been examined. EPC is equipped with MME (Mobility Management Entity), S-GW (Serving Gateway), and P-GW (Packet data network Gateway). In particular, P-GW needs to process a communication packet of a user terminal at high speeds because functioning as a gateway for connecting to the outside, for example, to the Internet. Thus, for making a virtual machine of the P-GW function run on a virtualization device, the virtual machine needs to directly use a physical network interface (a physical device), for example, by using a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) passthrough function.

Furthermore, a telecom carrier having implemented a carrier cloud infrastructure becomes capable of providing a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) with their own carrier cloud infrastructure. In this case, the MVNO makes a virtual machine having an original function equivalent to P-GW run on the carrier cloud infrastructure. Then, the MVNO needs to make their own virtual machine directly use a physical network interface of a virtualization device.

However, when a failure occurs in the abovementioned physical device, only a virtual machine manager (for example, the MVNO) can detect the failure, and a virtualization device manager (for example, the telecom carrier) cannot detect the failure. To be specific, when a virtual machine directly uses a physical device, a virtualization device cannot use the physical device, with the result that there is a problem that the virtual machine can detect a failure occurring in the physical device and the virtualization device (an information processing device) cannot detect the failure occurring in the physical device.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a virtualization system capable of solving the abovementioned problem that an information processing device cannot detect a failure occurring in a physical device.

In order to achieve the object, an information processing device as an aspect of the present invention includes:

a virtual machine built in the information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device; and

an information processing device failure managing means for detecting a failure in the information processing device,

The virtual machine includes:

a virtual machine failure managing means for detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

a failure notifying means for notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the information processing device failure managing means, the failure having been detected by the virtual machine failure managing means.

Further, in a method for information processing by a virtualization system as another aspect of the present invention, a virtual machine built in an information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device performs operations including:

detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

notifying occurrence of a failure detected in the physical device to an information processing device failure management part which detects a failure in the information processing device.

Further, a program as still another aspect of the present invention is a computer program including instructions for causing an information processing device to realize:

a virtual machine built in the information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device; and

an information processing device failure managing means for detecting a failure in the information processing device.

The computer program also includes instructions for causing the virtual machine to realize:

a virtual machine failure managing means for detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

a failure notifying means for notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the information processing device failure managing means, the failure having been detected by the virtual machine failure managing means.

With the configurations as described above, the present invention enables an information processing device to detect a failure occurring in a physical device even when a virtual machine is using the physical device.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

First Exemplary Embodiment

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below.FIGS. 1 and 2are diagrams for describing the configuration of an information processing system in the first exemplary embodiment.FIGS. 3 and 4are diagrams for describing the operation of the information processing system.

FIG. 1is a diagram showing the overview of an information processing system1. The information processing system shown inFIG. 1includes an information processing device11and a virtual machine manager terminal12. The information processing device11provides a service which makes a virtual machine run (for example, a cloud service) to a virtual machine manager that operates the virtual machine manager terminal12. The manager of the information processing device11providing a service making a virtual machine run is, for example, a carrier that provides a cloud service. The virtual machine manager is, for example, a user of a cloud service.

First, the configuration of the information processing device11will be described. The information processing device11shown inFIG. 1includes a virtual machine control part21, an information processing device failure management part22(an information processing device failure managing means), a physical device23, and an output part24. Moreover, the information processing device11has a virtualization function of making the virtual machine control part21start a virtual machine31, and a function of making the virtual machine31directly use the physical device23. The information processing device11is, for example, a server device which has a Linux™ KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) and a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) passthrough function.

The information processing device failure management part22detects a failure in the information processing device11, and notifies failure occurrence to the manager of the information processing device11via the output part24. For example, the information processing device failure management part22transmits a TRAP message (a message which notifies occurrence of an abnormality) using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), as notification of failure occurrence.

Herein, the information processing device failure management part22shall be incapable of detecting a failure of a device which is being directly used by the virtual machine31(for example, the physical device23). Therefore, the information processing device failure management part22receives notification of occurrence of a failure transmitted from a failure notification part44of the virtual machine31to be described later, and deals with the failure based on the notification as a failure detected by the information processing device11.

The physical device23is a device included by the information processing device11. The physical device23is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), a graphics card, and a storage device. The physical device23has a function which can be directly used by the virtual machine31. Herein, the information processing device11does not need to include only one physical device23necessarily, and may include a plurality of physical devices23.

The virtual machine control part21starts and controls the virtual machine31. Herein, the virtual machine control part21does not need to start only one virtual machine31necessarily, and may start two or more virtual machines31. This virtual machine31is built in the information processing device, and has a function of enabling use of a physical device included by the information processing device. The virtual machine31includes a virtual machine failure management part41(a virtual machine failure managing means), a physical device driver42, a virtual storage device43(a list storing means) and a failure notification part44(a failure notifying means) as shown inFIG. 1.

The physical device driver42is software for controlling the physical device23included by the information processing device11, for example. The physical device driver42notifies the operation state of the physical device23to the virtual machine failure management part41.

The virtual machine failure management part41detects a failure occurring in the virtual machine31, and identifies a device (for example, the kind of a device) where the failure has been detected. For example, in a case where a failure occurs in the physical device23, the physical device driver42notifies the failure (for example, an error code) as the operation state of the physical device23to the virtual machine failure management part41. Then, the virtual machine failure management part41detects the failure by accepting the failure notification from the physical device driver42, and identifies the physical device23as the device where the failure has been detected. Moreover, the virtual machine failure management part41detects (identifies) failure content information representing the content of the failure of the device where the failure has been detected, on the basis of the failure notification accepted from the physical device driver42.

Then, after detecting the failure, the virtual machine failure management part41notifies failure occurrence to the virtual machine manager terminal part12. For example, notification of failure occurrence contains information of a device where a failure has been detected by the virtual machine failure management part41, failure content information of the device, and so on. Thus, the manager of a virtual machine can recognize occurrence of a failure in (a given device in) the virtual machine.

Subsequently, the virtual machine failure management part41determines whether or not the information processing device failure management part22can detect the detected device failure. To be specific, referring to a failure list51(a failure detection target list) stored in the virtual storage device43, the virtual machine failure management part41determines whether or not the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure (for example, physical device information corresponding to the physical device where the failure has been detected) are stored. Now the virtual storage device43will be described.

The virtual storage device43is a virtual storage device which runs in a virtual machine. The virtual storage device43is configured in a region on a storage device (not shown in the drawings) in the information processing device11. For example, the virtual storage device43is a virtual image file of the qcow2 format, or the like. The virtual storage device43stores the failure list51.

The failure list51is a list which describes information for identifying the physical device23which the information processing device failure management part22cannot detect a failure from while the virtual machine31is using and failure content information (physical device information) of the physical device23, among failures occurring in the virtual machine31. For example, as shown inFIG. 2, the failure list51stores “physical device23,” which is the kind of a physical device, and “failure A,” which is the content of a failure represented by failure content information. In other words, the failure A of the physical device23represents a failure which the information processing device failure management part22cannot detect while the virtual machine31is using the physical device23. The failure list51may store only information for identifying a physical device (for example, identification information and kind information of a physical device).

Then, in the case of determining that the device where the failure has been detected and the failure content information are stored as a result of referring to the failure list51stored in the virtual storage device43, the virtual machine failure management part41notifies occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the failure notification part44. For example, the virtual machine failure management part41outputs, as notification of failure occurrence, information for identifying a physical device and failure content information of the physical device. On accepting the notification of failure occurrence in the physical device from the virtual machine failure management part41, the failure notification part44notifies the failure of the physical device to the information processing device failure management part22. In other words, the failure notification part44outputs the accepted failure occurrence notification to the information processing device failure management part22. Thus, for example, the information processing device failure management part22can indirectly detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device23which is being used by the virtual machine31.

By accepting notification of a failure in a physical device from the failure notification part44, the information processing device failure management part22can deal with the failure notified from the failure notification part44as a failure detected in the information processing device11. Then, the information processing device failure management part22notifies failure occurrence to the manager of the information processing device11via the output part24.

Accordingly, for example, even when the information processing device failure management part22cannot directly detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device23because the virtual machine31is using the physical device23, the information processing device failure management part22can indirectly detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device23via the virtual machine failure management part41and the failure notification part44.

Next, referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, the operation of the information processing system will be described.FIG. 3is a flowchart for describing a failure notification process by the virtual machine31.FIG. 4is a flowchart for describing a failure information acceptance process by the information processing device11.

In the failure notification process shown inFIG. 3, firstly, the virtual machine failure management part41detects a failure in the virtual machine31(step S1). Then, the virtual machine failure management part41identifies a device where the failure has been detected (step S2). For example, when a failure has occurred in the physical device23, the physical device driver42notifies the failure (for example, an error code) as the operation state of the physical device23to the virtual machine failure management part41. Subsequently, the virtual machine failure management part41detects the failure by accepting the failure notification from the physical device driver42, and identifies the device where the failure has been detected as the physical device23. Moreover, the virtual machine failure management part41can detect failure content information of the device where the failure has been detected (for example, the physical device23).

Subsequently, the virtual machine failure management part41notifies failure occurrence to the manager of the virtual machine (step S3). Thus, the manager of the virtual machine can recognize occurrence of the failure in the virtual machine.

Next, referring to the failure list51stored in the virtual storage device43, the virtual machine failure management part41determines whether or not the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S4). The failure list51is a list which describes the content of a physical device failure which cannot be detected by the information processing device failure management part22among failures occurring in the virtual machine31. For example, as shown inFIG. 2, the failure list51stores “physical device23,” which is the kind of a physical device, and “failure A,” which is the content of a failure. In other words, the failure A of the physical device23represents that the information processing device failure management part22cannot detect a failure when the virtual machine31is using the physical device23. The failure list51may store only the kind of a physical device.

In the case of determining that at least one of the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure is not stored (step S4: NO), the process returns to step S1, and the processing thereafter is repeated. For example, when a device where the failure has occurred is a virtual device, or when a physical device failure can be detected by the information processing device failure management part22while the physical device is being used by a virtual machine, the virtual machine failure management part41determines NO in the processing at step S4.

On the other hand, in the case of determining that the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S4: YES), the failure notification part44notifies the physical device failure detected in the processing at steps S1and S2to the information processing device failure management part22(step S5). For example, the virtual machine failure management part41outputs, as notification of failure occurrence, information for identifying a physical device and failure content information of the physical device. Then, the failure notification part44outputs the notification of failure occurrence outputted from the virtual machine failure management part41to the information processing device failure management part22. After the processing at step S5, the failure notification process by the virtual machine31shown inFIG. 3ends.

Subsequently, at step S11inFIG. 4, the information processing device failure management part22of the information processing device11accepts the failure notification outputted in the processing at step S5inFIG. 3(step S11). Consequently, it is possible to deal with the failure notified from the failure notification part44as a failure detected by the information processing device11.

Then, the information processing device failure management part22notifies (outputs) failure occurrence via the output part24(step S12). After the processing at step S12, the failure information acceptance process by the information processing device11ends. Thus, for example, even when being unable to directly detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device23because the virtual machine31is using the physical device23, the information processing device failure management part22can indirectly detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device23via the virtual machine failure management part41and the failure notification part44. As a result, the information processing device11can notify occurrence of a failure to the manager of the information processing device11.

Second Exemplary Embodiment

Next, an information processing device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described referring toFIGS. 5 and 6. In the second exemplary embodiment, the same components as in the first exemplary embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, a difference from the information processing device11of the first exemplary embodiment, that is, the configuration of a failure notification part71of an information processing device61will be described.

FIG. 5is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information processing device61. The information processing device61includes the failure notification part71, instead of the failure notification part44shown inFIG. 1. The failure notification part71inFIG. 5includes a virtual IF (Interface) driver81, a virtual IF82, and a virtual switch83(a connection controlling means). The failure notification part71builds a network which enables mutual communication between the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22. Then, the failure notification part71connects the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22, thereby enabling output of notification of failure occurrence from the virtual machine failure management part41to the information processing device failure management part22.

The virtual IF driver81is a software module which controls the virtual IF82. The virtual IF driver81is, for example, a device driver of a network interface emulated by the information processing device61(the virtual machine control part21). The virtual IF82is a virtual network interface generated by the virtual machine control part21. The virtual IF82is, for example, TAP in Linux KVM. For example, TAP has a function of providing a virtual NIC for Linux to communicate with a user process.

The virtual switch83is a virtual switch for enabling connection between the virtual IF82and the information processing device failure management part22and having them communicate. The virtual switch83is, for example, an OVS (Open vSwitch) or a Linux kernel bridge.

On accepting notification of failure occurrence from the virtual machine failure management part41, the virtual IF driver81controls the virtual switch83via the virtual IF82to connect to the information processing device failure management part22. For example, the virtual IF driver81switches the virtual switch83from OFF to ON via the virtual IF82.

Consequently, the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22are connected, and the information processing device failure management part22becomes capable of accepting failure notification (signal) representing detection of a failure outputted from the virtual machine failure management part41. As a result, even when a plurality of virtual machines are built in the information processing device61, each of the virtual machines can, with a simple configuration, securely notify occurrence of a failure in a physical device which is being used thereby to the information processing device failure management part22. Moreover, because the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22are connected only at the time of notification of a failure, it is possible to reduce energy consumption as compared with a case where connected at all times.

Next, referring toFIG. 6, another example of the failure notification process by the virtual machine31will be described. Herein, processing at steps S31to S34inFIG. 6will be briefly described because it is the same as the processing at steps S1to S4inFIG. 3.

In the failure notification process shown inFIG. 6, firstly, the virtual machine failure management part41detects a failure in the virtual machine31(step S31), and identifies a device where the failure has been detected (step S32). Subsequently, the virtual machine failure management part41notifies failure occurrence to the virtual machine manager terminal12(step S33). Consequently, the manager of the virtual machine can recognize occurrence of the failure in the virtual machine.

Next, referring to the failure list51stored in the virtual storage device43, the virtual machine failure management part41determines whether or not the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S34). In a case where the virtual machine failure management part41determines that at least one of the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure is not stored (step S34: NO), the process returns to step S31, and the processing thereafter is repeated.

On the other hand, in a case where the virtual machine failure management part41determines that both the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S34: YES), the failure notification part71turns the virtual switch on (step S35). To be more specific, the virtual IF driver81of the failure notification part71switches the virtual switch from OFF to ON via the virtual IF82. Consequently, the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22are connected, and the information processing device failure management part22becomes capable of accepting failure notification (signal) representing detection of a failure outputted from the virtual machine failure management part41. After the processing at step S35, the failure notification process shown inFIG. 6ends. As a result, even if a plurality of virtual machines are built in the information processing device61, each of the virtual machines can, with a simple configuration, securely notify occurrence of a failure in a physical device which is being used thereby to the information processing device failure management part22.

Third Exemplary Embodiment

Next, an information processing device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described referring toFIGS. 7 to 10. In the third exemplary embodiment, the same components as in the first exemplary embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, a difference from the information processing device11in the first exemplary embodiment, that is, the configuration of a failure notification part131of an information processing device121will be described specifically.

FIG. 7is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information processing device121. The information processing device121includes a failure notification part131, instead of the failure notification part44inFIG. 1. The failure notification part131inFIG. 7includes a shared memory141. The shared memory141includes a failure notification region151. The shared memory141may be either a volatile memory or a nonvolatile memory. The failure notification region151is a region secured on the shared memory141, and has a configuration which enables the virtual machine failure management part41and the information processing device failure management part22to read from and write into, respectively. Referring toFIGS. 8A and 8B, the details of the failure notification region151will be described.

FIGS. 8A and 8Bare diagrams showing examples of the failure notification region151. On detecting a failure (for example, a failure A) in the physical device23, the virtual machine failure management part41stores “failure A” of “physical device23” as failure content information into a failure notification region151aas shown inFIG. 8A, for example. Thus, by storing a device and the content of a failure into the failure notification region151, the virtual machine failure management part41can indirectly notify the failure in the physical device23to the information processing device failure management part22.

Then, the information processing device failure management part22reads out the failure notification region151at given timing (for example, at regular intervals), and determines whether or not failure content information is stored in the failure notification region151. For example, in the case of reading out the failure notification region151ashown inFIG. 8A, the information processing device failure management part22determines that failure content information is stored in the failure notification region151. In this case, the information processing device failure management part22notifies failure occurrence to the manager of the information processing device121via the output part24.

Then, the information processing device failure management part22accesses the failure notification region151of the shared memory141, and deletes the failure content information stored in the failure notification region151. For example, the information processing device failure management part22sets NULL as failure content information as shown inFIG. 8B. Next, the information processing device failure management part22stands by for a preset standby time and, after the standby time, reads out the failure notification region151again and repeats the processing described above.

In other words, firstly, the information processing device failure management part22determines whether or not failure content information is stored in the failure notification region151. Then, in a case where NULL is set as failure content information in a failure notification region151bas shown inFIG. 8B, the information processing device failure management part22determines that failure content information is not stored in the failure notification region151b, and stands by for the abovementioned standby time.

Thus, the information processing device failure management part22in this exemplary embodiment can read out failure content information from the shared memory141at given timing. Therefore, for example, even when the virtual machine31detects failures in a plurality of physical devices23at one time, the information processing device failure management part22will not be overloaded and can securely read out information of the failures in the physical devices23.

When failure content information is stored into the failure notification region151by the virtual machine failure management part41, the failure notification part131may notify occurrence of a failure in the physical device23to the information processing device failure management part22. Then, the information processing device failure management part22having accepted the notification from the failure notification part131can read out the failure notification region151, notify failure occurrence to the manager of the information processing device11via the output part24, and delete the failure content information stored in the failure notification region151.

Next, referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, another example of the operation of the information processing system will be described. Processing at steps S41to S44will be briefly described because it is the same as the processing at steps S1to S4inFIG. 3.

In the failure notification process shown inFIG. 9, firstly, the virtual machine failure management part41detects a failure in the virtual machine31(step S41), and identifies a device where the failure has been detected (step S42). Subsequently, the virtual machine failure management part41notifies failure occurrence to the virtual machine manager terminal12(step S43). Consequently, the manager of the virtual machine can recognize occurrence of a failure in the virtual machine.

Next, referring to the failure list51stored in the virtual storage device43, the virtual machine failure management part41determines whether or not the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S44). In a case where the virtual machine failure management part41determines that at least one of the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure is not stored (step S44: NO), the process returns to step S41, and the processing thereafter is repeated.

On the other hand, in the case of determining that both the device where the failure has been detected and the content of the failure are stored (step S44: YES), the virtual machine failure management part41stores the device and the content of the failure as failure content information into the failure notification region151of the shared memory141of the failure notification part131(step S45). For example, as shown inFIG. 8A, the virtual machine failure management part41stores “failure A” of “physical device23” into the failure notification region151a. Thus, by storing a device and the content of a failure into the failure notification region151, the virtual machine failure management part41can indirectly notify a failure of the physical device23to the information processing device failure management part22

Subsequently, at step S51inFIG. 10, the information processing device failure management part22reads out the failure notification region151from the shared memory141. Then, the information processing device failure management part22determines whether or not failure content information is stored in the failure notification region151(step S52). In this case, because failure content information has been stored in the processing at step S45inFIG. 9described above, the information processing device failure management part22determines YES in processing at step S52.

Subsequently, the information processing device failure management part22outputs (notifies) failure occurrence to the manager of the information processing device11via the output part24(step S53). Then, the information processing device failure management part22accesses the failure notification region151of the shared memory141, and deletes the failure content information stored in the failure notification region151(step S54). For example, the information processing device failure management part22sets NULL as failure content information as shown inFIG. 8B(the failure notification region151b).

Next, the information processing device failure management part22stands by for a preset standby time (step S55) and, after the standby time, repeats the processing at step S51and thereafter. For example, the information processing device failure management part22reads out the failure notification region151again (step S51), and determines whether or not failure content information is stored (step S52). Herein, assuming the failure content information has been deleted in the processing at step S54(for example,FIG. 8B), the information processing device failure management part22determines NO in the processing at step S52. Then, the information processing device failure management part22omits the processing at steps S53and S54described above, and executes the processing at step S55.

Consequently, the information processing device failure management part22can read out information of a failure from the shared memory at given timing. Therefore, for example, even if the virtual machine detects failures of a plurality of physical devices at one time, the information processing device failure management part22will not be overloaded, and the information processing device failure management part22can securely read out information of the failure in the physical devices.

Fourth Exemplary Embodiment

Next, an information processing device201according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described referring toFIG. 11.

The information processing device201according to the fourth exemplary embodiment includes:

a virtual machine221built in the information processing device201and able to use a physical device211included by the information processing device201; and

an information processing device failure management part212(an information processing device failure managing means) detecting a failure in the information processing device201,

wherein the virtual machine221includes:

a virtual machine failure management part231(a virtual machine failure managing means) detecting a failure in the physical device211which the virtual machine221can use; and

a failure notification part232(a failure notifying means) notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the information processing device failure management part212, the failure having been detected by the virtual machine failure management part231.

According to the configuration described above, when the virtual machine failure management part231detects a failure in the physical device211which is being used by the virtual machine221, the failure notification part232notifies failure occurrence in the physical device211to the information processing device failure management part212. As a result, the information processing device201can detect the failure occurrence in the physical device211even when the virtual machine221is using the physical device211.

Although the present invention has been described above referring to the exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. The configurations and details of the present invention can be changed and modified in various manners that can be understood by one skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

An information processing device comprising:

a virtual machine built in the information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device; and

an information processing device failure managing means for detecting a failure in the information processing device,

wherein the virtual machine includes:

a virtual machine failure managing means for detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

a failure notifying means for notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the information processing device failure managing means, the failure having been detected by the virtual machine failure managing means.

According to the configuration, in a case where the virtual machine failure managing means detects a failure in the physical device which is being used by the virtual machine, the failure notifying means notifies failure occurrence in the physical device to the information processing device failure managing means. As a result, the information processing device can detect occurrence of a failure in the physical device even if the virtual machine is using the physical device.

The information processing device according to Supplementary Note1, comprising a list storing means for storing physical device information into a failure detection target list, the physical device information including information for identifying the physical device,

wherein in a case where the physical device information corresponding to the physical device which the virtual machine failure managing means has detected a failure from is stored in the failure detection target list, the failure notifying means notifies failure occurrence in the physical device.

According to the configuration, in a case where the physical device where a failure has been detected is included in the physical device information stored in the failure detection target list, failure occurrence is notified to the information processing device failure managing means. Therefore, it is possible to notify only failure occurrence in the physical device necessary for the information processing device failure managing means.

The information processing device according to Supplementary Note2, wherein the list storing means stores, as the physical device information, information for identifying the physical device which the virtual machine is using and which the information processing device failure managing means cannot detect a failure from.

According to the configuration, information of the physical device which the information processing device failure managing means cannot detect a failure from while the virtual machine is using is stored in the failure detection target list. Therefore, by referring to the physical device information stored in the failure detection target list, it is possible to securely notify failure occurrence in the physical device which cannot be detected by the information processing device failure managing means.

The information processing device according to Supplementary Note2or3, wherein:

the list storing means stores the physical device information including failure content information showing a content of a failure in the physical device;

the virtual machine failure managing means identifies the physical device where a failure has occurred and failure content information of the physical device; and

in a case where the physical device and the failure content information identified by the virtual machine failure managing means are stored in the failure detection target list, the failure notifying means notifies failure occurrence in the physical device.

According to the configuration, the list storing means stores the failure content information of the physical device into the failure detection target list and, by referring to the physical device information (the physical device and the content of a failure) stored in the failure detection target list, the virtual machine failure managing means can output notification of failure occurrence appropriate for the kind of a failure in the physical device used by the virtual machine to the information processing device failure managing means.

The information processing device according to any of Supplementary Notes1to4, wherein:

the failure notifying means has a connection controlling means for controlling connection between the virtual machine failure managing means and the information processing device failure managing means; and

when the virtual machine failure managing means detects a failure in the physical device, the connection controlling means connects the virtual machine failure managing means and the information processing device failure managing means.

According to the configuration, for example, in output of notification of failure occurrence from the virtual machine failure managing means to the information processing device failure managing means, the failure notifying means connects the virtual machine failure managing means and the information processing device failure managing means. Therefore, it is possible with a simple configuration to securely notify occurrence of a failure in the physical device which is being used by the virtual machine.

The information processing device according to any of Supplementary Notes1to5, wherein:

the failure notifying means has a shared memory which the virtual machine failure managing means and the information processing device failure managing means can read from and write into, respectively; and

the virtual machine failure managing means stores, into the shared memory, the physical device information including information for identifying the physical device where a failure has been detected.

According to the configuration, because information of a detected failure is written into the shared memory, the information processing device failure managing means can read out information of the failure from the shared memory at given timing. As a result, for example, even when the virtual machine detects failures of many physical devices at one time, the information processing device failure managing means will not be overloaded, the information processing device failure managing means can securely read out information of a failure in the physical device.

An information processing method, wherein a virtual machine built in an information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device performs operations including:

detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

notifying occurrence of a failure detected in the physical device to an information processing device failure management part which detects a failure in the information processing device.

The information processing method according to Supplementary Note7, comprising:

storing physical device information into a failure detection target list, the physical device information including information for identifying the physical device; and

in a case where the physical device information corresponding to the physical device where a failure has been detected is stored in the failure detection target list, notifying failure occurrence in the physical device.

A computer program comprising instructions for causing an information processing device to realize:

a virtual machine built in the information processing device and able to use a physical device included by the information processing device; and

an information processing device failure managing means for detecting a failure in the information processing device,

the computer program also comprising instructions for causing the virtual machine to realize:

a virtual machine failure managing means for detecting a failure in the physical device which the virtual machine can use; and

a failure notifying means for notifying occurrence of a failure in the physical device to the information processing device failure managing means, the failure having been detected by the virtual machine failure managing means.

The computer program according to Supplementary Note9, comprising instructions for causing the information processing device to realize a list storing means for storing physical device information into a failure detection target list, the physical device information including information for identifying the physical device,

the computer program also comprising instructions for, in a case where the physical device information corresponding to the physical device which the virtual machine failure managing means has detected a failure from is stored in the failure detection target list, causing the failure notifying means to notify failure occurrence in the physical device.

The program described in the respective exemplary embodiments and supplementary notes is stored in a storage device or recorded on a computer-readable medium. For example, the recording medium is a portable medium such as a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk and a semiconductor memory.

Although the present invention has been described above referring to the exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. The configurations and details of the present invention can be changed and modified in various manners that can be understood by one skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2013-053946, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

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