Managing virtual machines and hosts by property

• US 20080098309A1
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Scheidel, Bill, Fries, Robert M., Michael, Michael, Winner, Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/586,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Virtual machines and hosts of virtual machines are dynamically organized and managed in accordance with specific properties of the virtual machines and hosts. A system can be browsed for virtual machines/hosts having a specific property(s). Properties and property values are represented by a hierarchical structure of folders and subfolders, and/or in a textual hierarchical directory structure. Selection of a property value results in the virtual machines/hosts having the selected property value attributed thereto. Browsing can also be accomplished via a hierarchical textual directory structure. A virtual machine can be selected to navigate the virtual and view its constituents. Properties, property values, virtual machines, and hosts can be added, deleted, and/or modified.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of virtual machines, the method comprising:

rendering a representation of a plurality of properties and respective property values, each property and property value being attributable to one of a virtual machine and a host of a virtual machine;

receiving an indication of at least one selected property value, wherein the at least one selected property value was selected from the rendered plurality of properties values; and

rendering an indication of one of each virtual machine and each host having attributed thereto the at least one selected property value.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising dynamically updating at least one of a property and a property value associated with each virtual machine and each host.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

visually rendering folders and subfolders to represent the plurality of properties and property values, wherein;

a folder is indicative of a property; and

a subfolder of a folder is indicative of a property value of a respective folder.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

rendering a representation of the plurality of properties and associated property values comprises rendering a respective icon for each property and associated property value; and

rendering an indication of each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines having the at least one selected property value comprises rendering a respective icon for each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines having the selected at least one property value.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

visually rendering at least one of a textual directory structure and a graphic user interface directory structure to represent the plurality of properties and associated property values; and

visually rendering at least one of a textual directory structure and a graphic user interface directory structure to represent an indication of each virtual machine and each host having the at least one selected property value.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein, a property comprises at least of a geographic location, an organizational structure, an owner, a state, a creation date, a search result, and an operating system.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines; and

rendering an indication of constituents of the selected a virtual machine, wherein the constituents comprise at least one of;

at least one file of the selected virtual machine; and

at least one device of the selected virtual machine.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of adding a property, deleting a property, modifying a property, adding a property value, deleting a property value, modifying a property value, adding a virtual machine, deleting a virtual machine, modifying a virtual machine, adding a host, deleting a host, and modifying a host.

9. A system for managing a plurality of virtual machines, the system comprising:

an input/output portion configured to;

render a representation of a plurality of properties and respective property values, wherein;

each property is attributable to one of a virtual machine and a host of a virtual machine; and

render an indication of each virtual machine and each host having attributed thereto at least one selected property value; and

a processing portion configured to;

receive an indication of the at least one selected property value, wherein the at least one selected property value was selected from the rendered plurality of property values; and

determine if at least one of a virtual machine and a host has attributed thereto the at least one selected property value.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, the processing portion further configured to dynamically update at least one of a property and a property value associated with each virtual machine and each host.

11. A system in accordance with claim 9, the input/output portion further configured to:

visually render folders and subfolders to represent the plurality of properties and property values, wherein;

a folder is indicative of a property; and

a subfolder of a folder is indicative of a property value of a respective folder.

12. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein:

rendering a representation of the plurality of properties and associated property values comprises rendering a respective icon for each property and associated property value; and

rendering an indication of each virtual machine and each host having the selected property value comprises rendering a respective icon for each virtual machine and for each host having the selected property value.

13. A system in accordance with claim 9, the input/output portion further configured to:

visually render at least one of a textual directory structure and a graphic user interface directory structure to represent the plurality of properties and associated property values; and

visually render at least one of a textual directory structure and a graphic user interface directory structure to represent indication of each virtual machine and each host having the selected property value.

14. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein, a property comprises at least of a geographic location, an organizational structure, an owner, a state, a creation date, a search result, and an operating system.

15. A system in accordance with claim 9, the input/output portion further configured to render an indication of constituents of a selected virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein a constituent comprises at least one of:

at least one file of the selected virtual machine; and

at least one device of the selected virtual machine.

16. A system in accordance with claim 9, the processor portion further configured to perform at least one of adding a property, deleting a property, modifying a property, adding a property value, deleting a property value, modifying a property value, adding a virtual machine, deleting a virtual machine, and modifying a virtual machine, adding a host, deleting a host, and modifying a host.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instruction for managing a plurality of virtual machines, the computer-executable instructions for:

rendering a representation of a plurality of properties and respective property values, each property and property value being attributable to one of a virtual machine and a host of a virtual machine;

receiving an indication of at least one selected property value, wherein the at least one selected property value was selected from the rendered plurality of properties values;

rendering an indication of one of each virtual machine and each host having attributed thereto the at least one selected property value; and

visually rendering folders and subfolders to represent the plurality of properties and property values, wherein;

a folder is indicative of a property; and

a subfolder of a folder is indicative of a property value of a respective folder.

18. A computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-executable instructions further for dynamically updating at least one of a property and a property value associated with each virtual machine and each host.

19. A computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-executable instructions further for:

visually rendering at least one of a textual directory structure and a graphic user interface (GUI) directory structure to represent the plurality of properties and associated property values; and

visually rendering at least one of a textual directory structure and a GUI directory structure to represent an indication of each virtual machine and each host having the at least one selected property value, wherein;

rendering, via a GUI, a representation of the plurality of properties and associated property values comprises rendering a respective icon for each property and associated property value; and

rendering, via a GUI, an indication of each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines having the at least one selected property value comprises rendering a respective icon for each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines having the selected at least one property value.

20. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 17, the computer-executable instructions further for:

performing at least one of adding a property, deleting a property, modifying a property, adding a property value, deleting a property value, modifying a property value, adding a virtual machine, deleting a virtual machine, modifying a virtual machine, adding a host, deleting a host, and modifying a host, wherein a property comprises at least of a geographic location, an organizational structure, an owner, a state, a creation date, and an operating system.