TWI441082B - Capacity extending method for virtual hard disk - Google Patents

Description

Virtual hard disk capacity expansion method

The present invention relates to a method for expanding a capacity of a hard disk, and more particularly to a method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk.

Virtual Machine (VM) and Cloud Computing, which are virtualized to provide physical resources to users, and the benefits they bring are attracting worldwide attention. The cloud computing system is a new Internet-based computing method that provides the computing operations for individuals or businesses through different services on the Internet. The resources of the cloud computing are virtualized, and the physical resources are virtualized and then provided to the users through the Internet. Users do not need to know the details of the physical resources and their related configurations in the "cloud", do not have the corresponding expertise, and do not need to directly control the physical resources. Users can only focus on what resources they really need and how to get the service through the Internet.

A virtual machine is a virtual platform that is built on an entity resource after collecting one or more physical resources such as a processor, a memory, or a storage device. A virtual machine can also be viewed as establishing an environment between a computer platform of physical resources and a user of an end user. The user performs the required operations or executes the application based on the environment established by the virtual platform. Each virtual machine that is architected on the same physical resource can use its own virtual resources, such as a virtual computing unit or a virtual hard disk (VHD). The virtual machine can also execute programs like a normal computer with a physical system, or use its own operating system (OS) and applications.

However, since the virtual machine is architected on the physical resource, the user may encounter insufficient (virtual) resources when using the virtual machine. In other words, the user may encounter a situation where the virtual hard disk is not used. When the resources such as the Physical Hard Disk are sufficient, it is very simple to extend the user's virtual hard disk by simply assigning the remaining physical hard disk to the user. However, when the remaining capacity of the physical hard disk itself is not enough, the method of expanding the virtual hard disk for the user becomes complicated and time consuming. The traditional extension method is to copy the data originally owned by the user to the new physical hard disk and the virtual hard disk after adding a new physical hard disk. When the user's data is in terabytes (terabytes) or larger, the traditional expansion method takes a very long time. In the process of moving, huge data may not only cause losses; when any mistakes occur during the process of moving, it will cause great harm to the user.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk (VHD), which is used to extend a physical hard disk to be assigned to a virtual machine (Virtual Machine). , VM) The capacity of a first virtual hard drive. The method for expanding the capacity of the virtual hard disk includes: providing a second physical hard disk, wherein the available capacity of the second physical hard disk is not less than an extended total capacity; stopping the access operation to the first virtual hard disk; Establishing a second virtual hard disk with a capacity to expand the total capacity; connecting the storage space of the second virtual hard disk and the first virtual hard disk; and running a virtual machine manager (VMM) program to The second virtual hard disk is assigned to the virtual machine, and the virtual machine accesses the second virtual hard disk.

Preferably, the capacity of the first virtual hard disk plus the remaining available capacity of the first physical hard disk is less than the expanded total capacity.

In order to delete the data originally stored in the first virtual hard disk, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk according to the present invention may further include: receiving a delete command after the step of "running the virtual machine manager program", wherein the delete command specifies only a deleted target file existing in the first virtual hard disk; and deleting the deleted target file in the first virtual hard disk, or deleting the link between the target file and the second virtual hard disk.

In order to add a file after the step of "running the virtual machine manager program", the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a new command, wherein the new command includes a new target file; and adding The target file is added to the second virtual hard disk. That is to say, after the capacity expansion, the newly added data is stored on the second virtual hard disk.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of adding a new target file to the second virtual hard disk, the method may further include: receiving a modification command, where the modification command specifies a modification in the second virtual hard disk. The target file, the modification command includes a modified data; and the modified target file is modified according to the modified data.

After the step of adding the new target file to the second virtual hard disk, the method further includes: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies the delete target file in the second virtual hard disk; and the second virtual hard Delete this delete target file from the disc.

In other words, the data added to the second virtual hard disk can be directly accessed, modified or deleted.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to modify the data originally stored in the first virtual hard disk, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk according to the present invention may further include: receiving the modification after the step of “running the virtual machine manager program” a command, wherein the modify command specifies a modified target file in the first virtual hard disk, the modified command includes modifying the data; and the modified data is added to the second virtual hard disk, and the modified data is used as part of the modified target file. Modify the target file to connect. The modified data is the part of the target file that has been changed, and only the part of the modified data is stored in the second virtual hard disk.

In order to read the above-mentioned data that has been separately stored on the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk, the modified data is added to the second virtual hard disk, and the modified data is used as the modified target file. After the step of connecting to the modified target file, the method further includes: receiving a read command, wherein the read command specifies a read target file, and the read target file portion is present on the first virtual hard disk and a second virtual hard disk; reading the first virtual hard disk and the read target file in the second virtual hard disk; and merging and outputting the read target file read by the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk .

Finally, in order to delete the above-mentioned data that has been separately stored on the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk, the modified data is added to the second virtual hard disk, and the modified data is used as the modified target file. After the step of connecting the modified target file, the method further includes: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies deleting the target file, and the deleted target file portion is present on the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk. And deleting the target file in the second virtual hard disk, and deleting the link between the target file and the first virtual hard disk.

In summary, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk provided by the present invention can expand the capacity of the first virtual hard disk assigned to the virtual machine, and the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk does not need to move the first virtual hard disk. Original information. After the capacity is expanded, the client can also read, add, modify, or delete files as usual; and these operations do not need to move the original data in the first virtual hard disk to the second virtual hard disk.

The detailed features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the Detailed Description of the Detailed Description of the <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> </ RTI> </ RTI> <RTIgt; The objects and advantages associated with the present invention can be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The present invention provides a virtual hard disk (VHD) capacity expansion method for extending a physical hard disk assigned to a virtual machine (VM). The capacity of a first virtual hard disk. Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of a virtual machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the client 10 can be connected to the remote virtual machine 32 through a Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 30. Each of the virtual machines 32 has at least one virtual hard disk 34, and the virtual hard disk 34 is established by the first physical hard disk 22 in a storage pool 20.

The first physical hard disk 22 is a storage device in a physical hardware device (ie, a physical resource) required for the virtual machine 32, and may be, for example, a hard disk, a solid state disk (SSD), or a disk array. (Redundant Array of Independent Disks, RAID). The storage pool 20 is a collection of all storage devices provided to the virtual machine 32. The storage pool 20 may include other physical hard disks for use by the virtual machine 32 in addition to the first physical hard disk 22.

In order to construct the virtual machine 32, a virtual platform (host, not shown) may be first constructed on the physical resources such as the first physical hard disk 22, and then these virtual machines 32 are created on the virtual platform. In more detail, at least one virtual machine 32 can be configured on one virtual platform, and these virtual machines 32 are all run by physical resources of the architectural virtual platform. Each virtual machine 32 can have its own virtual resources for use by the connected client 10. The client 10 can regard the connected virtual machine 32 as a general computer having a processor and a storage device, and install an operating system (OS) in the virtual machine 32 for various applications (Application). And use it. In other words, the virtual machines 32 can be independent of each other. The virtual machine 32 architected on the same physical resource can even install different operating systems such as a Windows operating system or a Linux operating system. And for the client 10, each virtual machine 32 has its own virtual hard disk 34 that can be used.

Next, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk provided by the present invention will be described in detail to explain how to expand the capacity of the first virtual hard disk. Please refer to FIG. 2 first, which is a corresponding schematic diagram of a virtual hard disk before capacity expansion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in "Fig. 2", all available space of the first physical hard disk 22 in the storage pool 20 can be divided into a plurality of parts (virtual hard disk 34), and can be separately provided to different virtual machines 32. . The first virtual hard disk 36 is allocated for use by the virtual machine 32a, and the remaining virtual hard disks 34 are allocated to other virtual machines 32.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first physical hard disk 22 is in a state in which the storage space is relatively tight. When the user feels that the storage space of the first virtual hard disk 36 is insufficient and wants to expand the capacity, the user wants to expand the capacity larger than the remaining available space of the first physical hard disk 22 (that is, has not been configured as the virtual hard disk 34). Space). In more detail, the user wants to expand the total capacity of the original first virtual hard disk 36 to an extended total capacity, and the total capacity of the first virtual hard disk 36 plus the remaining available capacity of the first physical hard disk 22. The system is smaller than the total extended capacity specified by the user.

Please refer to both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which are respectively a flow chart of a method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to an embodiment of the present invention and a corresponding schematic diagram of a virtual hard disk after capacity expansion. In the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk, a second physical hard disk and the storage pool 20 are first provided (step S110), and the available capacity of the second physical hard disk is not less than the total expanded capacity.

Since the first virtual hard disk 36 cannot accept any access of the virtual machine 32a when the first virtual hard disk 36 is expanded, the access operation of the virtual hard disk 32 to the first virtual hard disk 36 needs to be stopped first (step S120). In order to ensure that the first virtual hard disk 36 is not accessed by the virtual machine 32a on the way of expanding the capacity, the virtual machine 32a may be directly stopped.

Then, a second virtual hard disk 38 having a capacity of the expanded total capacity is created on the newly added second physical hard disk 24 (step S130). Taking the Linux VHD-util (application) tool as an example, a blank file in VHD format can be created as the second virtual hard disk 38, and the related data is configured for the blank file. After the second virtual hard disk 38 having the expanded capacity is obtained, the storage space of the second virtual hard disk 38 and the first virtual hard disk 36 is connected (step S140). That is, it is only necessary to link the second virtual hard disk 38 with the storage space of the first virtual hard disk 36 without transferring the data in the first virtual hard disk 36 to the second virtual hard disk 38.

Taking the VHD-util of Linux as an example, when the virtual hard type 34 file type is used, step S130 and step S140 can be implemented by the following instruction examples.

Vhd-util create-name=VD2-size=20G-parent=VD1

Step S130 and step S140 are implemented in a type of logic block (Logical Volume, LM, or Block Device) such as a Logical Volume Manager (LVM), and an example of the instruction is as follows.

.lvcreate-name=lvd2-size=20G VG-Storage2

Vhd-util

Create-name=/dev/VG-Storage2/lvd2-size=20G-parent=lvd1

Finally, a virtual machine manager program is run to assign the second virtual hard disk 38 to the virtual machine 32a, and the virtual machine 32a is restored to the second virtual hard disk 38 (step S150). The virtual machine manager program is a program running in the virtual machine manager 30. In the remaining step S150, the second virtual hard disk 38 is coupled to the virtual machine 32a to enable the client terminal 10 to be used. As for the client 10, the virtual machine 32 only corresponds to the second virtual hard disk 38 whose capacity is the expanded total capacity, and the storage space of the second virtual hard disk 38 is continuous.

Next, how the client 10 reads, adds, modifies or deletes the files or materials stored in the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38 by the virtual machine 32a will be explained. Preferably, the data (data, that is, the above data) is stored in units of fixed length blocks. The data block stored on the second virtual hard disk 38 is determined by the second virtual hard disk 38; and the data block not present on the second virtual hard disk 38 is determined by the first virtual hard disk 36.

First, in order to add a file after expanding the capacity, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a new command, wherein the new command includes a new target file; and adding the new target file to the second virtual Hard disk 38. That is to say, after the capacity expansion, the newly added data as the user of the newly added target file is stored in the second virtual hard disk 38.

After the new target file is added to the second virtual hard disk 38, the newly added file is available for the virtual machine 32a to directly read, modify or delete from the second virtual hard disk 38.

Therefore, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a modification command, wherein the modification command specifies a modification target file in the second virtual hard disk 38, and the modification command includes a modification data; and modifying the modification target according to the modification data. file.

The method for expanding the capacity of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies the delete target file in the second virtual hard disk 38; and deleting the delete target file from the second virtual hard disk 38.

When modifying the data originally stored in the first virtual hard disk 36, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk after the capacity expansion may further include: receiving a modification command, wherein the modification command specifies the modification target file in the first virtual hard disk 36. Modifying the command and including modifying the data; and adding the modified material to the second virtual hard disk 38. The modified data is the part of the modified target file that has been changed, that is, the difference between the original version and the modified version. In other words, the data originally stored on the first virtual hard disk 36 is divided into two parts, wherein only the modified data is stored in the second virtual hard disk 38, and the original virtual hard disk is originally stored. The 36 part will not be modified.

In order to read the above-mentioned data stored separately on the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38 as modified, a read command may be received, wherein the read command specifies a read target file. And the read target file has been modified and partially exists on the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38. After reading the read target files respectively stored in the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38, the read target files read by the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38 are merged. And output to the client 10.

And deleting the data stored in the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38 separately after being modified, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies the delete target The file, and the deleted target file portion is present on the second virtual hard disk 38; and the deleted target file in the second virtual hard disk 38 is deleted, and the link of the target file and the first virtual hard disk 36 is deleted.

In more detail, a file allocation table (FAT) can be maintained in the second virtual hard disk 38, wherein a link field between the file configuration table and the deleted target file of the second virtual hard disk 38 can be maintained. been deleted. And stored separately in the deletion target file of the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38, the connection between the first virtual hard disk 36 and the second virtual hard disk 38 is also deleted. The data block included in the deletion target file in the second virtual hard disk 38 can be initialized, that is, the data block occupied by the original deletion target file can be overwritten by the empty data block, so that the user terminal 10 does not read the deletion target again. file. The original data in the first virtual hard disk 36 (ie, the deleted target file stored in the first virtual hard disk 36) may not be deleted.

Finally, to delete the data stored in the first virtual hard disk 36 before the extended capacity, the deleted target file on the first virtual hard disk 36 may be directly deleted, or only the deleted target file and the second virtual hard disk may be deleted. The link between. That is, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk may further include: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies the delete target file existing only in the first virtual hard disk 36; and deleting the delete target in the first virtual hard disk 36 File, or delete the link between the target file and the second virtual hard disk 38. After deleting the link between the target file and the second virtual hard disk 38, although the deleted target file is not deleted in the first virtual hard disk 36, the user terminal 10 may not read the deleted target file again.

In summary, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk provided by the present invention can expand the capacity of the first virtual hard disk that is configured on the first physical hard disk when the storage space of the first physical hard disk is insufficient. Moreover, the capacity expansion method of the virtual hard disk does not need to move the original data in the first virtual hard disk, and can provide the second virtual hard disk of the user end very quickly. In addition, after expanding the capacity, the client can also read, add, modify or delete files as usual; and these operations do not need to move the original data in the first virtual hard disk to the second virtual hard disk. .

While the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The patent protection scope of the invention is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to the specification.

10. . . user terminal

20. . . Storage pool

twenty two. . . First physical hard drive

twenty four. . . Second physical hard drive

30. . . Virtual machine manager

32,32a. . . virtual machine

34. . . Virtual hard drive

36. . . First virtual hard drive

38. . . Second virtual hard drive

1 is a block diagram of a virtual machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence of a virtual hard disk before capacity expansion according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flow chart showing a method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence of a virtual hard disk after capacity expansion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (9)

A capacity expansion method for a virtual hard disk, for expanding a capacity of a first virtual hard disk assigned to a virtual machine in a first physical hard disk, the method comprising: providing a second physical hard disk, the second The available capacity of the physical hard disk is not less than an extended total capacity; the access operation to the first virtual hard disk is stopped; and a second virtual hard disk having a capacity of the expanded total capacity is established on the second physical hard disk; a storage space of the second virtual hard disk and the first virtual hard disk; and running a virtual machine manager program to assign the second virtual hard disk to the virtual machine, and recovering the virtual machine to the second virtual Hard disk access operation. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 1, wherein after the step of running the virtual machine manager program, the method further comprises: receiving a new command, wherein the new command includes a new target File; and adding the new target file to the second virtual hard disk. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 2, wherein after the step of adding the new target file to the second virtual hard disk, the method further includes: receiving a modification command, where the The modification command specifies a modification target file in the second virtual hard disk, the modification command includes a modification data, and the modification target file is modified according to the modification data. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein after the step of adding the new target file to the second virtual hard disk, the method further includes: receiving a delete command, where the The delete command specifies a delete target file in the second virtual hard disk; and the delete target file is deleted from the second virtual hard disk. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 1, wherein after the step of running the virtual machine manager program, the method further comprises: receiving a modification command, wherein the modification command specifies the first virtual hard disk Modifying the target file, the modifying command includes a modified data; and adding the modified data to the second virtual hard disk, and using the modified data as part of the modified target file and the modified target file Connected. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 5, wherein the modified data is added to the second virtual hard disk, and the modified data is used as part of the modified target file. After the step of connecting the modified target file, the method further includes: receiving a read command, wherein the read command specifies a read target file, and the read target file portion is present on the first virtual hard disk and the first Two virtual hard disks; reading the first virtual hard disk and the read target file in the second virtual hard disk; and merging and outputting the read by the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk The read target file. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 5, wherein the modified data is added to the second virtual hard disk, and the modified data is used as part of the modified target file. After the step of connecting the modified target file, the method further includes: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command specifies a delete target file, and the delete target file portion is present on the first virtual hard disk and the second virtual hard disk And deleting the deleted target file in the second virtual hard disk, and the link of the deleted target file and the first virtual hard disk. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 1, wherein after the step of running the virtual machine manager program, the method further comprises: receiving a delete command, wherein the delete command designation only exists in the first Deleting a target file in the virtual hard disk; deleting the deleted target file in the first virtual hard disk, or deleting the link between the target file and the second virtual hard disk. The method for expanding a capacity of a virtual hard disk according to claim 1, wherein the capacity of the first virtual hard disk plus the available capacity of the first physical hard disk is smaller than the total expanded capacity.