VIRTUAL MACHINE IMAGE BUILDER FOR AUTOMATED INSTALLATION OF FULLY-VIRTUALIZED OPERATING SYSTEM

• US 20090077551A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: WHITELEY, James Bart
• Application Number:
  US11/856,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077551A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

A customized image can be generated from a specified generic image and modifications. The contents of the generic image can be extracted and modified according to the specified modifications. The modifications can include, among other possibilities, a response file used in automating the installation of the customized image. The customized image can then be generated from the modified contents, and then installed as a guest operating system in a fully-virtualized operating system.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver (110) to receive a request for a customized image to install as a guest operating system on a fully-virtualized system;

an extractor (115) to extract at least one content file (210, 215, 220) from a generic image file (150);

a data source (130) to store modifications (135, 140, 145) to be made to said at least one content file (210, 215, 220);

a modifier (120) to modify said at least one content file (210, 215, 220) according to said modifications (135, 140, 145) in the data source (130); and

a virtual image builder (125) to build said customized image (235) from said modified at least one content file (225, 230, 240), so that said customized image (235) can be installed as said guest operating system (340) on said fully-virtualized system (305) in a completely automated manner.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said modifications (135, 140, 145) include identifying a location (145) from which said customized image (235) can be installed as said guest operating system (340) on said fully-virtualized system (305).

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said modifications (135, 140, 145) include a response file (140) to be used in automatically responding to prompts during the installation of said customized image (235) as said guest operating system (340) on said fully-virtualized system (305).

4. A method, comprising:

receiving (505) a request to generate a customized image (235) for installation as a guest operating system (340) on a fully-virtualized system (305);

identifying (510) a generic image file (150);

extracting (515) contents (210, 215, 220) from the generic image file (150);

modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220); and

building (525) the customized image (235) to be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305) from the modified contents (225, 230, 240).

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising installing (615) the customized image (235) onto the fully-virtualized system (305).

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein installing (615) the customized image (235) onto the fully-virtualized system (305) includes:

loading (605) a host operating system (330) onto the fully-virtualized system (305);

using (615) a virtual machine manager (335) to simulate a hardware platform for the guest operating system (340); and

installing the customized image (235) on top of the host operating system (330) and the virtual machine manager (335).

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220) includes identifying a response file (140) to be used when the customized image (235) is to be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305).

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220) includes identifying a source location (145) from the customized image (235) can be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305).

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein building (525) the customized image (235) from the modified contents (225, 230, 240) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145).

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) on a computer-readable medium.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) on a network-accessible location.

12. An article, comprising a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, result in:

receiving (505) a request to generate a customized image (235) for installation as a guest operating system (340) on a fully-virtualized system (305);

identifying (510) a generic image file (150);

extracting (515) contents (210, 215, 220) from the generic image file (150);

modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220); and

building (525) the customized image (235) to be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305) from the modified contents (225, 230, 240).

13. An article according to claim 12, wherein said storage medium has stored thereon further instructions that, when executed by said machine, result in installing (615) the 15 customized image (235) onto the fully-virtualized system (305).

14. An article according to claim 13, wherein installing (615) the customized image (235) onto the fully-virtualized system (305) includes:

loading (605) a host operating system (330) onto the fully-virtualized system (305);

using (615) a virtual machine manager (335) to simulate a hardware platform for the guest operating system (340); and

installing the customized image (235) on top of the host operating system (330) and the virtual machine manager (335).

15. An article according to claim 12, wherein modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220) includes identifying a response file (140) to be used when the customized image (235) is to be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305).

16. An article according to claim 12, wherein modifying (520) at least one file of the contents (210, 215, 220) includes identifying a source location (145) from the customized image (235) can be installed as the guest operating system (340) on the fully-virtualized system (305).

17. An article according to claim 16, wherein building (525) the customized image (235) from the modified contents (225, 230, 240) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145).

18. An article according to claim 17, wherein storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) on a computer-readable medium.

19. An article according to claim 17, wherein storing (530) the customized image (235) at the source location (145) includes storing (530) the customized image (235) on a network-accessible location.