Abstract: Systems and methods for initiating a forced migration of a virtual machine. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager (SM) and an active virtual machine registration cache, where the subnet manager can access the active virtual machine registration cache. The SM can record a first virtual machine incarnation number in the active virtual machine registration cache, where the virtual machine incarnation number is associated with an active virtual machine (VM). Upon receiving a request to register the active VM on a different host, the SM can evaluate a second virtual machine incarnation number with the first virtual machine incarnation number to determine the legality of the request. In accordance with an embodiment, if the second virtual machine incarnation number is evaluated as greater than the first virtual machine incarnation number, the SM determines the request is legal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a virtual machine fabric profiles to reduce virtual machine downtime during migration. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager (SM) and a virtual machine fabric profile that is accessible by the subnet manager, and where the virtual machine fabric profile includes a virtual host channel adapter (vHCA) configuration. The SM can receive a request to preregister the vHCA with a first physical host channel adapter (HCA) while the vHCA is already actively registered with a second physical HCA. The subnet manager can send the vHCA configuration to the first physical HCA for preregistration. After preregistration, the virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch of the first physical HCA can be left unestablished, until the SM determines that a virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch on the second physical HCA has been disconnected.

Abstract: Systems and methods for application of virtual host channel adapter configuration policies. An exemplary embodiment can provide a host channel adapter (HCA) with a control circuit and a memory, and at least one port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. A software driver of the HCA can provide a control API that exposes functionality to hyper-privileged software executing on the host. The hyper privileged software, through the control API, can request registration of a virtual HCA (vHCA) with a virtual function of the HCA. The HCA can forward the registration request to a subnet manger, which can retrieve configuration policies from a cache and return the policies to the HCA for implementation with the virtual function of the HCA.

Abstract: Systems and methods for host-side configuration of a host channel adapter (HCA). An exemplary embodiment can provide a HCA, including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and at least one port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA, and a software driver for the HCA that includes a control application programming interface (API) that exposes functionality to hyper-privileged software executing on a host. The hyper-privileged software can set, through the control API, configurable variables stored in the memory of the HCA. Based on the value of the set variables, the HCA can operate in one of a legacy mode or one or more other modes.