Augmenting a Virtual Machine Hosting Environment from within a Virtual Machine

• US 20090019436A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sentillion Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hartz, George, Nale, Chad, Fusari, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

Systems and methods augment a virtual machine (computer) hosting environment from within a virtual machine. A communication channel between the virtual machine and the player is used to send instructions to the player to load and execute requested software modules. Requests to load and execute the modules may originate in the corporate network and may be issued by the corporate network administrator. If a requested module is not stored on the host computer, the virtual machine may upload the module, via the communication channel, to the player. The uploaded module may, for example: (a) install a required upgrade in the host operating system; (b) execute virus checking software on the host computer; or (c) install a corporate network-provided secure printing module that enables software being executed by the host computer to print on devices connected to the host computer.

Claims

1. A method for loading software on a host computer that hosts a virtual machine, comprising:

sending a request from within the virtual machine to a hosting application being executed by the host computer, the request being a request to load requested software;

loading onto the host computer the requested software by the hosting application.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, if the requested software is not installed on the host computer:

uploading the requested software from the virtual machine to the host computer; and

installing the uploaded software on the host computer.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, if the requested software is not installed on the host computer:

downloading the requested software from a server to the host computer; and

installing the downloaded software on the host computer.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein sending the request to the hosting application comprises:

uploading a software module from a server to the virtual machine via a virtual private network connection established between the server and the virtual machine; and

executing the uploaded software module by the virtual machine.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises executing at least part of the loaded software by the host computer.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises storing at least part of the loaded software on a storage device attached to the host computer.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises storing at least part of the loaded software in a memory used to store instructions that are executed by the host computer.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises modifying existing software on the host computer.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises augmenting existing software on the host computer.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises replacing, at least in part, existing software on the host computer.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises installing an upgrade in the host operating system.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises executing virus checking software on the host computer.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein loading the requested software onto the host computer comprises installing a secure printing module.

14. A computer program product for use on a computer system for loading software on a host computer that hosts a virtual machine, comprising:

a computer-readable medium on which are stored computer instructions such that, when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to;

send a request from within the virtual machine to a hosting application being executed by the host computer, the request being a request to load requested software; and

load onto the host computer the requested software by the hosting application.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein, if the requested software is not installed on the host computer, the instructions cause the processor to:

upload the requested software from the virtual machine to the host computer; and

install the uploaded software on the host computer.

16. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein, if the requested software is not installed on the host computer, the instructions cause the processor to:

download the requested software from a server to the host computer; and

install the downloaded software on the host computer.

17. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to send the request to the hosting application comprise instructions to:

upload a software module from a server to the virtual machine via a virtual private network connection established between the server and the virtual machine; and

execute the uploaded software module by the virtual machine.

18. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to execute at least part of the loaded software by the host computer.

19. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to store at least part of the loaded software on a storage device attached to the host computer.

20. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to store at least part of the loaded software in a memory used to store instructions that are executed by the host computer.

21. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to modify existing software on the host computer.

22. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to augment existing software on the host computer.

23. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to load the requested software onto the host computer comprise instructions to replace, at least in part, existing software on the host computer.