JP2012003536A - Resource providing apparatus and resource providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To assign some other use than providing computer resources to a user terminal by instance actuation to a node controller of a resource providing system.SOLUTION: A resource providing apparatus that provides computer resources of its own to the user of a terminal via a network by actuating a plurality of instances comprises: an instance control unit that controls a cloud instance actuated to provide the user of the terminal with computer resources and a personal instance actuated to provide a user operating an input/output device connected to this apparatus; and a relay unit that relays to the personal instance signals inputted from an input device connected to this apparatus and relays to an output device connected to this apparatus signals outputted from the personal instance to an output device.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for providing computer resources in response to a computer resource provision request transmitted from a user terminal.

  Research has been made on a virtualization technology in which hardware resources such as a processor, a memory, and a disk of a computer device are virtualized into a plurality of computer resources, and a plurality of virtual machines (instances) are activated in one physical machine. In addition, a system that provides computer resources to user terminals based on such virtualization technology has been studied. In such a resource providing system, a plurality of devices having the virtualization function as described above are used. Each device activates an instance in response to a resource provision request transmitted from the user terminal via the network, and the instance resource is provided to the user terminal. According to such a resource providing system, it is possible to provide computer hardware and software not by purchase or lease, but by metered charging. Further, it is possible to provide as many computer resources as necessary when the user needs them.

  Such a resource providing system is generally a so-called public cloud that virtualizes hardware resources of physical machines prepared in large quantities in a data center or the like and provides them widely and via the Internet. In addition, in recent years, a so-called private cloud in which such a cloud is applied to a computer system in a closed environment such as an organization such as a specific company has been studied (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

"From cloud details to basic technologies", Nikkei Business Publications, April 2009

  By the way, the resource providing system requires a physical machine (hereinafter referred to as “node controller”) for starting an instance. The node controller is generally used as a dedicated device for starting up an instance and providing computer resources to a user terminal.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for giving a use other than providing a computer resource to a user terminal by activating an instance to a node controller that activates the instance in the resource providing system. .

  One aspect of the present invention is a resource providing apparatus that provides a computer resource of its own device to a user of a terminal connected via a network by operating a plurality of instances. A cloud instance that is activated to provide the computer resource and a personal instance that is activated to provide the computer resource to a user who operates an input / output device connected to the device are controlled. The signal input from the instance control unit and the input device connected to the own device is relayed to the personal instance, and the signal output from the personal instance to the output device is output to the own device. A relay unit for relaying to the device, .

  One aspect of the present invention is the resource providing apparatus described above, wherein the virtual instance is recognized as the input device by the personal instance, and the virtual output device unit is recognized as the output device by the personal instance. The relay unit relays a signal input from the input device to the virtual input device unit, and outputs a signal output from the personal instance to the virtual output device to the output device. It is characterized by relaying to.

  One aspect of the present invention is the resource providing apparatus described above, wherein the instance control unit transfers communication data received from the terminal via the network to the cloud instance according to a destination thereof. It is characterized by.

  One aspect of the present invention is the resource providing apparatus described above, wherein the instance control unit is configured to automatically communicate communication data transmitted from the personal instance to the network and communication data transmitted from the network to the personal instance. Relay between the communication hardware of the device and the personal instance.

  One aspect of the present invention is the resource providing apparatus described above, wherein the resource providing apparatus is an apparatus provided in a resource providing system that provides a computer resource to a user of the terminal, and the instance control unit includes the resource The cloud instance is controlled in accordance with control data received from another device provided in the providing system.

  One aspect of the present invention is a resource providing method performed by a resource providing apparatus that provides a computer resource of its own apparatus to a user of a terminal connected via a network by operating a plurality of instances, wherein the terminal A cloud instance that is activated to provide the computer resource to a user of the user, and a personal instance that is activated to provide the computer resource to a user who operates an input / output device connected to the device And an instance control step for controlling the personal instance, a signal input from an input device connected to the own device being relayed to the personal instance, and a signal output from the personal instance to the output device being For output devices connected to And a relay step of relaying Te.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to give a use other than providing a computer resource to a user terminal by starting an instance to a node controller that starts the instance in the resource providing system.

It is a system configuration | structure figure showing the system configuration | structure of a resource provision system. It is a schematic block diagram showing the function structure of a node controller. It is a schematic block diagram showing the function structure of a node management part. It is a figure showing the specific example of a virtual device name table. It is a sequence diagram showing the operation | movement at the time of starting a personal instance. It is a sequence diagram showing operation | movement of a node controller when NC user operates an input device in the state where the personal instance is starting. It is a sequence diagram showing operation | movement of a node controller when a personal instance outputs an output device signal according to a processing result. It is a sequence diagram showing operation | movement when a cloud instance is started in a resource provision system. It is a sequence diagram showing operation | movement of the node controller of a modification. It is a figure showing the specific example of the table which the virtualization part of a modification memorize | stores.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a system configuration of the resource providing system 100. The resource providing system 100 includes a user terminal 1, a cloud controller 2, a plurality of cluster controllers 3, and a plurality of node controllers 4. The user terminal 1, the cloud controller 2, and the plurality of cluster controllers 3 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The user terminal 1, the cloud controller 2, and each cluster controller 3 may be configured to communicate using the Internet, or may be configured to communicate using a LAN (Local Area Network). The communication may be performed using other communication paths. The cloud controller 2 and each cluster controller 3 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. Each cluster controller 3 and each node controller 4 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The cloud controller 2 and each cluster controller 3, and each cluster controller 3 and each node controller 4 are configured to communicate with each other using a LAN or the like. Note that the number of cluster controllers 3 and node controllers 4 included in the resource providing system 100 is not limited to that shown in FIG.

  The user terminal 1 is configured using an information processing apparatus such as a workstation, a personal computer, or a smartphone. The user terminal 1 transmits a computer resource provision request to the cloud controller 2 and uses the computer resource provided in response to the provision request. Hereinafter, the user terminal 1 will be described more specifically.

  The user terminal 1 has a function of an Internet browser, for example. The user terminal 1 connects to a website provided by the cloud controller 2 based on a predetermined URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The user terminal 1 transmits a computer resource provision request to the cloud controller 2. The user terminal 1 receives the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the instance started up in the node controller 4 from the cloud controller 2 as a response to the provision request. The node controller 4 is a computer resource providing device. The user terminal 1 connects to the node controller 4 based on the received IP address and uses the computer resources of the node controller 4. Here, the instance is a virtual machine that is activated on the slot of the node controller 4. A slot is a virtual computer resource obtained by virtualizing physical hardware resources such as a CPU, a memory, and a disk and cutting them out as a specific unit. Further, the user terminal 1 may make a computer resource provision request by a function provided by dedicated application software instead of the browser function.

  The cloud controller 2 is configured using an information processing device such as a server device, a workstation, or a personal computer. The function of the cloud controller 2 is realized using a cloud controller function in an existing cloud system. Hereinafter, a specific example of the cloud controller function will be described. The cloud controller 2 provides a website to the user terminal 1 and receives a computer resource provision request transmitted from the user terminal 1. The cloud controller 2 transmits a surplus resource confirmation and an instance activation request to the cluster controller 3 in response to the received provision request. For example, the cloud controller 2 stores a user account corresponding to the user terminal 1 in its storage area in advance. The cloud controller 2 stores a cluster controller 3 that provides computer resources for each user account in association with each other. When the cloud controller 2 receives a computer resource provision request from the user terminal 1, the cloud controller 2 transmits a surplus resource confirmation or instance activation request to the cluster controller 3 corresponding to the user terminal 1. The cloud controller 2 receives a request for an instance image file from the node controller 4 that has received the instance activation request. The cloud controller 2 stores an image file of the instance in advance, and transmits the image file in response to this request. The configuration of the cloud controller 2 described above is merely an example, and any configuration may be used as long as an existing cloud controller function can be realized.

  The cluster controller 3 is configured using an information processing device such as a server device, a workstation, or a personal computer. The cluster controller 3 is connected to a plurality of node controllers 4 via a network. The cluster controller 3 controls the operation of the node controller 4 under its control. The function of the cluster controller 3 is realized by using the function of the cluster controller in the existing cloud system. The cluster controller 3 may be configured in any way as long as the existing cluster controller function can be realized.

The node controller 4 is configured using an information processing apparatus such as a workstation or a personal computer. The node controller 4 virtualizes its own hardware resource and provides it to the user terminal 1. Hereinafter, the node controller 4 will be described in detail.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the functional configuration of the node controller 4. The node controller 4 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, an auxiliary storage device, and the like connected by a bus, and executes a node controller program. The node controller 4 functions as a device including a hardware resource 41, a virtualization unit 42, a node management unit 43, a personal instance 44, a cloud instance 45-1, and a cloud instance 45-2 by executing a node controller program. To do. Note that the virtualization unit 42 and the node management unit 43 of the node controller 4 may be realized using hardware such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). good.

The hardware resource 41 is a physical device such as a CPU, a memory, an auxiliary storage device, an I / O interface, and a network interface.
The virtualization unit 42 is a functional unit that is realized when virtual machine software such as Xen is executed by the hardware resource 41. The virtualization unit 42 virtualizes the hardware resource 41 and realizes execution of a plurality of instances. Further, the virtualization unit 42 transfers the data and signals output from the node management unit 43 to the personal instance 44, the cloud instance 45, and the hardware resource 41 according to the destination. Further, the virtualization unit 42 transfers data and signals output from the personal instance 44, the cloud instance 45, and the hardware resource 41 to the node management unit 43.

The node management unit 43 communicates with the node management unit 43 of the cluster controller 3 and other node controllers 4 to control provision of computer resources in the node controller 4. Details of the node management unit 43 will be described later.
The personal instance 44 is one of the instances that are activated and controlled by the node management unit 43. The personal instance 44 is an instance provided to a user who operates an input / output device connected to the I / O interface of the node controller 4 (hereinafter referred to as “NC user”). When the NC user operates the input device connected to the I / O interface of the node controller 4, the operation signal generated by the input device is input to the personal instance 44. The personal instance 44 operates in accordance with the input operation signal and generates an output signal. The output signal generated by the personal instance 44 is output to an output device connected to the I / O interface of the node controller 4. The input device connected to the I / O interface of the node controller 4 is an existing input device such as a keyboard, pointing device (mouse, tablet, etc.), button, touch panel, or the like. The output device connected to the I / O interface of the node controller 4 may be an image display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, a liquid crystal display, or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, A speaker, a printer device, or the like may be used.

  The cloud instance 45 (45-1 and 45-2) is one of the instances activated and controlled by the node management unit 43. The cloud instance 45 is the same as the instance operating on the node controller in the existing cloud system. That is, the cloud instance 45 is an instance that is activated to provide the computer resources of the node controller 4 to the user terminal 1.

  Although FIG. 2 shows a personal instance 44 and a plurality of cloud instances 45, these do not always have to be activated by the node controller 4. That is, the node controller 4 only needs to include at least the hardware resource 41, the virtualization unit 42, and the node management unit 43. The personal instance 44 and each cloud instance 45 are managed by the node management unit 43 as necessary. It is activated. In FIG. 2, two cloud instances 45 are described, but the number of cloud instances 45 operating in one node controller 4 is not necessarily limited to two. That is, the number of cloud instances 45 operating on one node controller 4 may be one, or may be three or more.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the node management unit 43. Next, details of the node management unit 43 will be described with reference to FIG. The node management unit 43 includes an input unit 431, an output unit 432, a virtual device storage unit 433, an instance control unit 434, and a relay driver 435.

  The input unit 431 receives data and signal input from the virtualization unit 42. For example, the input unit 431 receives communication data received at the network interface of the hardware resource 41 from the virtualization unit 42. The input unit 431 receives a signal input from the input unit connected to the I / O interface of the hardware resource 41 from the virtualization unit 42. The input unit 431 receives data or signals output from the instances (personal instance 44 and cloud instance 45) from the virtualization unit 42.

  The output unit 432 outputs data and signals to the virtualization unit 42. For example, the output unit 432 outputs communication data to be transmitted from the network interface of the hardware resource 41 to another device to the hardware resource 41 via the virtualization unit 42. In addition, the output unit 432 outputs a signal to the output device connected to the I / O interface of the hardware resource 41 via the virtualization unit 42. The output unit 432 outputs data or signals to the instances (personal instance 44 and cloud instance 45) via the virtualization unit 42.

  The virtual device storage unit 433 stores a virtual device name table. FIG. 4 shows a specific example of the virtual device name table. The virtual device name table is a table representing a virtual device name for each physical device assigned to each instance. The physical device name represents the name of the physical device. The physical device indicates an individual device (auxiliary storage device, network interface, or the like) represented as the hardware resource 41, or an individual device (mouse, keyboard, display, or the like) connected to the I / O interface. The virtual device name is the name of the virtual device. A virtual device is provided in the virtualization unit 42 for each combination of a physical device and an instance. Each instance operates assuming that the virtual device is an actual physical device. Therefore, for example, when a signal is input to the personal instance 44 via the virtual device of the mouse, the personal instance 44 handles the input signal as a mouse signal. Further, when the personal instance 44 tries to output an image signal to the display, the personal instance 44 outputs the image signal to the virtual device of the display.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the description of the node management unit 43 is continued. The instance control unit 434 realizes the function of the node management unit in the existing cloud system. That is, the instance controller 434 communicates with the cluster controller 3 and the node manager 43 of the other node controller 4, and controls the cloud instance 45 as necessary, thereby controlling the provision of computer resources in the node controller 4. To do.

  Further, the instance control unit 434 also controls the personal instance 44. Specifically, when the instance control unit 434 receives an activation command for the personal instance 44 from the NC user while the personal instance 44 is not activated, the instance control unit 434 activates the personal instance 44. At this time, the instance control unit 434 causes the virtualization unit 42 to construct a virtual device corresponding to the personal instance 44. Then, the instance control unit 434 registers the name of each constructed virtual device (virtual device name) in the virtual device name table of the virtual device storage unit 433. In addition, when the activation of the personal instance 44 is completed, the instance control unit 434 notifies the relay driver 435 that the personal instance 44 has been activated.

  On the other hand, when the instance control unit 434 receives an end command of the personal instance 44 from the NC user while the personal instance 44 is activated, the instance control unit 434 ends the personal instance 44. At this time, the instance control unit 434 terminates the virtual device corresponding to the personal instance 44 in the virtualization unit 42. Then, the instance control unit 434 deletes the name of each completed virtual device (virtual device name) from the virtual device name table. In addition, when the personal instance 44 ends, the instance control unit 434 notifies the relay driver 435 that the personal instance 44 has ended.

  Further, when the instance control unit 434 receives communication data from the network interface of the hardware resource 41 via the virtualization unit 42 and the input unit 431, the instance control unit 434 relays the communication data to the instance that is the destination of the communication data. For example, when the destination IP address of the communication data is the IP address of the personal instance 44, the instance control unit 434 transfers this communication data to the personal instance 44 via the output unit 432 and the virtualization unit 42. When the destination IP address of the communication data is the IP address of the cloud instance 45-1, the instance control unit 434 sends the communication data to the cloud instance 45-1 via the output unit 432 and the virtualization unit 42. Forward. When the destination IP address of the communication data is the IP address of the node management unit 43, the instance control unit 434 operates according to the content of the communication data.

  The relay driver 435 relays the signal input from the input unit 431 to the output unit 432 when the personal instance 44 is activated. More specifically, it is as follows. The relay driver 435 receives a signal input from an input device connected to the I / O interface of the hardware resource 41 (hereinafter referred to as “input device signal”) via the virtualization unit 42 and the input unit 431. . Then, the relay driver 435 relays the input device signal to the virtual device of the personal instance 44 via the output unit 432. At this time, the virtual device that is the relay destination of the input device signal is a virtual device corresponding to the input device that is the input source of the input device signal. That is, when the input source of the input device signal is a mouse, a virtual device corresponding to the mouse becomes a relay destination. When the input source of the input device signal is a keyboard, a virtual device corresponding to the keyboard becomes a relay destination. The relay driver 435 identifies each virtual device name of the personal instance 44 by referring to the virtual device name table stored in the virtual device storage unit 433. Then, the relay driver 435 relays the input device signal to the virtual device based on the identified virtual device name.

  Further, the relay driver 435 receives a signal (hereinafter referred to as “output device signal”) output from the personal instance 44 to the virtual device via the virtualization unit 42 and the input unit 431. Then, the relay driver 435 outputs the output device signal to the I / O interface to which the corresponding output device is connected among the I / O interfaces of the hardware resource 41 via the output unit 432 and the virtualization unit 42. To do.

  Next, the operation of the node controller 4 will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an operation when the personal instance 44 is activated. When the NC user instructs activation of the personal instance (PI) by operating the input device of the node controller 4 (step S101), an input device signal representing the activation instruction of the personal instance is input to the virtualization unit 42 (step S101). S102). The virtualization unit 42 transfers the input device signal to the node management unit 43 (step S103). When the node management unit 43 receives the input device signal, the instance control unit 434 receives the input device signal because the personal instance 44 is not activated. Then, the instance control unit 434 activates the personal instance 44 in response to the activation instruction of the personal instance 44 represented by the input device signal (step S104). At this time, the instance control unit 434 assigns an IP address to the personal instance 44 and stores this IP address. Also, the instance control unit 434 causes the virtualization unit 42 to construct a virtual device necessary for the personal instance 44. Then, the instance control unit 434 registers the name of each constructed virtual device in the virtual device name table. The personal instance 44 is activated in accordance with such processing of the instance control unit 434 (step S105).

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the node controller 4 when the NC user operates the input device while the personal instance 44 is activated. When the NC user operates the input device (step S201), an input device signal corresponding to the operation is input to the virtualization unit 42 (step S202). The virtualization unit 42 transfers the input device signal to the node management unit 43 (step S203). When the node management unit 43 receives the input device signal, the relay driver 435 receives the input device signal because the personal instance 44 is activated. The relay driver 435 specifies the virtual device name of the virtual device corresponding to the physical device that is the input source of the received input device signal from the virtual devices of the personal instance 44. At this time, the relay driver 435 refers to the virtual device name table stored in the virtual device storage unit 433.

  Next, the relay driver 435 relays the input device signal to the virtual device of the personal instance 44 based on the identified virtual device name (step S204). The input device signal input to the virtual device is received by the personal instance 44 (step S205). Then, the personal instance 44 performs processing according to the content of the input device signal (step S206).

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the node controller 4 when the personal instance 44 outputs an output device signal according to the processing result. The personal instance 44 performs processing (step S301), and outputs an output device signal corresponding to the processing result (step S302). At this time, the personal instance 44 outputs an output device signal to a virtual device corresponding to the output device signal among the virtual devices allocated to itself. The virtual device (virtualization unit 42) transfers the output device signal to the node management unit 43 (step S303).

  When the node management unit 43 receives the output device signal, since the personal instance 44 is activated, the relay driver 435 receives the output device signal. The relay driver 435 relays the received output device signal to the virtualization unit 42 (step S304). The virtualization unit 42 transmits the output device signal to the I / O interface to which the corresponding output device is connected (step S305). The output device performs output processing according to the received output device signal (step S306). For example, when the output device is an image display device, the output device displays a screen corresponding to the received output device signal. For example, when the output device is a printer device, the output device performs printing according to the received output device signal. The NC user can confirm the content (output content) output by the output device (step S307).

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation when the cloud instance 45 is activated in the resource providing system 100. First, the user terminal 1 transmits a resource provision request to the cloud controller 2 (step S401). When the cloud controller 2 receives the resource provision request, the cloud controller 2 checks the surplus resources with respect to the cluster controller 3 (step S402). When the cluster controller 3 receives the request for confirmation of the surplus resource, the cluster controller 3 confirms the surplus resource with respect to each node controller 4 belonging to the cluster to which the cluster controller 3 belongs (step S403). The node management unit 43 of each node controller 4 checks the surplus resource amount in its own device. Then, the node management unit 43 of each node controller 4 transmits the confirmation result as a surplus resource amount response to the cluster controller 3 (step S404). The cluster controller 3 transmits the surplus resource amount response received from each node controller 4 to the cloud controller 2 (step S405).

  The cloud controller 2 determines the node controller 4 that activates the cloud instance 45 based on the surplus resource amount received from each cluster controller 3. Then, the cloud controller 2 requests the cluster controller 3 that controls the determined node controller 4 to start the cloud instance 45 (step S406). When the cluster controller 3 receives a request for starting the cloud instance 45, the cluster controller 3 requests the node controller 4 designated by the cloud controller 2 to start the cloud instance 45 (step S407).

  When the instance controller 434 of the node controller 4 receives the request for starting the cloud instance 45, it requests the instance image from the cloud controller 2 (step S408). The cloud controller 2 transmits the requested instance image to the node controller 4 (step S409). When receiving the instance image, the instance controller 434 of the node controller activates the cloud instance 45 according to the instance image (step S410). Thereafter, the cluster controller 3 relays communication between the user terminal 1 and the cloud instance 45 of the node controller 4 (step S411).

  In the resource providing system 100 configured as described above, in the node controller 4, in addition to the cloud instance 45 that is activated in order to provide resources to the user terminal 1, the personal instance 44 for the NC user is activated. Then, the NC user can use the node controller 4 as his / her terminal device by using an input device and an output device connected to the node controller 4. That is, the node controller 4 can be given a new use of functioning as a user terminal for the NC user, in addition to activating an instance (cloud instance 45) and providing computer resources to the user terminal 1. Become.

  Further, when a new resource providing system is constructed, a node controller for starting an instance is conventionally required. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a space for installing the node controller. In addition to the node controller, a space for installing the user terminal is also required. Thus, conventionally, in order to construct a resource providing system, a large number of computer devices are required, and the cost and space for that purpose are required. On the other hand, in the resource providing system 100 configured as described above, when the NC user activates the personal instance 44 with the node controller 4, the node controller 4 can be used as the user terminal 1. That is, the user terminal 1 and the node controller 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 can be realized by the same device. In this case, since the node controller 4 and the user terminal 1 function on the same device, the number of computer machines used in the resource providing system can be reduced. For example, when constructing a conventional resource providing system, it is assumed that one cloud controller, three cluster controllers, 20 node controllers, and 100 user terminals, that is, 124 in total are required. When constructing a resource providing system similar to this, by using the node controller 4, it is possible to realize functions for 20 node controllers in 20 out of 100 user terminals. In this case, a similar resource providing system 100 can be constructed with a total of 104 units. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce the required cost and space.

<Modification>
In the resource providing system 100 described above, the personal instance 44 may not be activated even when the node controller 4 is activated. That is, when the node controller 4 is powered on and activated, the virtualization unit 42 and the node management unit 43 are activated on the hardware resource 41. The personal instance 44 has not been activated until an activation instruction is input by the NC user. On the other hand, the node controller 4 may be configured to automatically start the personal instance 44 when the power is turned on and the node controller 4 is started. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the node controller 4 of the modified example configured as described above. When the NC user operates the power button of the node controller 4 to perform a power-on operation (step S501), the virtualization unit 42 and the node management unit 43 of the node controller 4 are activated in response to this operation (steps S502 and S503). . When the node management unit 43 is activated, the node management unit 43 automatically activates the personal instance 44 regardless of the operation of the NC user (step S504). Then, the personal instance 44 is activated (step S505). With this configuration, the NC user can use the node controller 4 as his / her user terminal 1 with the awareness of operating a general personal computer without being aware of the device having the node controller function. Can be used.

  The node management unit 43 of the node controller 4 may be configured to execute live migration when the power of the own device is turned off. Specifically, the configuration is as follows. When an instruction to turn off the power is issued to the own device, the node management unit 43 confirms whether or not there is a cloud instance 45 operating at that time. When there is no cloud instance 45 that is operating, the node management unit 43 turns off the power of the own device without performing live migration. On the other hand, when there is a cloud instance 45 that is operating, the node management unit 43 operates the cloud instance 45 that is operating in another node controller 4 by performing live migration. Then, when the node management unit 43 finishes moving all the operating cloud instances 45 to another node controller 4, the node management unit 43 turns off the power of its own device.

  In the resource providing system 100 described above, data and signals input to the personal instance 44 and each cloud instance 45 pass through the node management unit 43. Data and signals output from the personal instance 44 and each cloud instance 45 also pass through the node management unit 43. On the other hand, the resource providing system 100 may be configured such that data input to each cloud instance 45 and data output from each cloud instance 45 do not pass through the node management unit 43. In this case, the resource providing system 100 is specifically configured as follows.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a table stored in the virtualization unit 42 according to the modified example configured as described above. The table stored in the virtualization unit 42 according to the modification has a physical device name, a virtual device name, a corresponding instance, and a MAC address of the instance in association with each other. The NIC of the physical device represents a network interface card among physical devices included in the hardware resource 41. A virtual device corresponding to the NIC of the physical device is generated for each cloud instance 45 and registered in the table of the virtualization unit 42 as shown in FIG. In the table of the virtualization unit 42, the MAC address assigned to each cloud instance 45 is also registered in association with each virtual device of the NIC. The virtualization unit 42 receives the notification from the node management unit 43 and registers the virtual device name and the MAC address value in the table.

  When the communication data is received by the NIC of the physical device, the virtualization unit 42 performs processing according to whether or not the destination of the communication data is a MAC address registered in the table. The virtualization unit 42 relays the communication data to the node management unit 43 when the destination of the communication data is not registered in the table. On the other hand, when the communication data destination is registered in the table, the virtualization unit 42 relays the communication data to the virtual device of the cloud instance 45 corresponding to the communication data destination among the NIC virtual devices. For example, when the destination MAC address of the communication data is “MAC A”, the virtualization unit 42 stores the virtual device name stored in association with the MAC address “MAC A” and the physical device name “NIC” in the table. The communication data is relayed to “nic104y”. The cloud instance 45-1 receives the communication data input to the virtual device “nic104y” and operates according to the content of the communication data. When the virtualization unit 42 receives communication data from the cloud instance 45 to the virtual device of the NIC, the virtualization unit 42 relays the communication data to the physical device NIC. Through this relay, the communication data output from each cloud instance 45 to the virtual device is received by the NIC of the hardware resource 41. The NIC sends the communication data relayed by the virtualization unit 42 to the network. With this configuration, the amount of data passing through the node management unit 43 can be reduced. Accordingly, the load on the node management unit 43 can be reduced.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... User terminal, 2 ... Cloud controller, 3 ... Cluster controller, 4 ... Node controller, 41 ... Hardware resource, 42 ... Virtualization part, 43 ... Node management part, 44 ... Personal instance, 45 ... Cloud instance, 431 ... Input unit, 432 ... output unit, 433 ... virtual device storage unit, 434 ... instance control unit, 435 ... relay driver, 100 ... resource providing system

Claims (6)

A resource providing device that provides a computer resource of its own device to a user of a terminal connected via a network by operating a plurality of instances,
A cloud instance activated to provide the computer resource to a user of the terminal, and a personal activated to provide the computer resource to a user operating an input / output device connected to the device An instance control unit for controlling each instance;
Relay the signal input from the input device connected to the own device to the personal instance, and relay the signal output from the personal instance to the output device to the output device connected to the own device. A relay section to
A resource providing apparatus comprising: A virtual input device unit recognized as the input device by the personal instance;
A virtual output device unit recognized as the output device by the personal instance;
Further comprising
The relay unit relays a signal input from the input device to the virtual input device unit, and relays a signal output from the personal instance to the virtual output device to the output device.
The resource providing apparatus according to claim 1.   The resource providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instance control unit transfers communication data received from the terminal via the network to the cloud instance according to a destination thereof.   The instance control unit relays communication data transmitted from the personal instance to the network and communication data transmitted from the network to the personal instance between the communication hardware of the own device and the personal instance. The resource providing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The resource providing device is a device provided in a resource providing system that provides computer resources to the user of the terminal,
The instance control unit controls the cloud instance according to control data received from another device provided in the resource providing system;
The resource providing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the apparatus is provided. A resource providing method performed by a resource providing apparatus that provides a computer resource of its own device to a user of a terminal connected via a network by operating a plurality of instances,
A cloud instance activated to provide the computer resource to a user of the terminal, and a personal activated to provide the computer resource to a user operating an input / output device connected to the device An instance control step for controlling each instance;
Relay the signal input from the input device connected to the own device to the personal instance, and relay the signal output from the personal instance to the output device to the output device connected to the own device. Relay step to
A resource providing method comprising:

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