SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UNIFIED MANAGEMENT OF DESKTOP SESSIONS

• US 20110004680A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Ryman, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions

Abstract

A method for using standards-based functionality to provide unified management for a plurality of remote desktop sessions includes executing an enhanced management access point on a first physical machine. The method includes monitoring a plurality of desktop sessions including a desktop session executing on one of a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine. The desktop session provides access to at least one application or file. The method includes determining a first level of activity of the desktop session. A level of activity may be one of: active, inactive, hibernating and standby. The method includes receiving a notification of a migration of the desktop session to a third physical machine, the migrated desktop session maintaining the first level of activity. The method includes instructing a management component on the third physical machine to modify the migrated desktop session to a second level of activity.

Claims

1. A method for using standards-based functionality to provide unified management, via out of band management communication, for a plurality of remote desktop sessions by an enhanced management access point executing on a first physical machine, the method comprising:

executing an enhanced management access point on a first physical machine;

monitoring, by the enhanced management access point, a plurality of desktop sessions including a desktop session executing on one of a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the desktop session provides access to at least one application or file;

determining, by the enhanced management access point, a first level of activity of the desktop session, wherein the first level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby;

receiving, by the enhanced management access point, a notification of a migration of the desktop session to a third physical machine, the migrated desktop session maintaining the first level of activity on the third physical machine; and

instructing, by the enhanced management access point, a management component on the third physical machine to modify the migrated desktop session from the first level of activity to a second level of activity, wherein the second level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring a plurality of server sessions including a server session executing on one of a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the server session provides access to at least one application or file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises discovery and location of the plurality of desktop sessions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises one of polling and querying at least one physical machine providing the plurality of desktop sessions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises communicating with at least one of:

a virtualization system, a virtual desktop management system, a provisioning system, and a directory service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the desktop session is not accessible; and

determining the first level of activity of the desktop session from cached information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the second physical machine providing the desktop session, the desktop session executing on one of the second physical machine and the virtual machine executing on the second physical machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises at least one of polling and querying a management process for the notification of the migration of the desktop session.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the management process is provided by at least one of:

a virtualization system, a virtual desktop management system, a provisioning system, and a directory service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the management component on the third physical machine using at least one of:

a standards-based specification and a proprietary specification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the management component on the third physical machine using at least one of:

Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware (DASH) and System Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) specifications.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the management component via at least one of a provisioning system and a directory service.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing a desktop session executing on the second physical machine and a desktop session executing on the virtual machine in substantially the same manner.

14. A method for using standards-based functionality to provide unified management, via out of band management communication, for a plurality of remote desktop sessions by an enhanced management access point executing on a first physical machine, the method comprising:

executing an enhanced management access point on a first physical machine;

monitoring, by the enhanced management access point, a plurality of desktop sessions including a desktop session executing on one of;

a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the desktop session provides access to at least one application or file;

determining, by the enhanced management access point, a first level of activity of the desktop session, wherein the first level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby;

receiving, by the enhanced management access point, a notification of a migration of the desktop session to a virtual machine executing on a third physical machine, the migrated desktop session maintaining the first level of activity on the virtual machine executing on the third physical machine; and

instructing, by the enhanced management access point, a hypervisor managing the virtual machine executing on the third physical machine to modify the migrated desktop session from the first level of activity to a second level of activity, wherein the second level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring a plurality of server sessions including a server session executing on one of a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the server session provides access to at least one application or file.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring further comprises discovery and location of the plurality of desktop sessions.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring further comprises one of polling and querying at least one physical machine providing the plurality of desktop sessions.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring further comprises communicating with at least one of:

a virtualization system, a virtual desktop management system, a provisioning system, and a directory service.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that the desktop session is not accessible; and

determining the first level of activity of the desktop session from cached information.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying the second physical machine providing the desktop session, the desktop session executing on one of the second physical machine and the virtual machine executing on the second physical machine.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving further comprises at least one of polling and querying a management process for the notification of the migration of the desktop session.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the management process is provided by at least one of:

a virtualization system, a virtual desktop management system, a provisioning system, and a directory service.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the hypervisor executing on the third physical machine using at least one of:

a standards-based specification and a proprietary specification.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the hypervisor executing on the third physical machine using at least one of:

Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware (DASH) and System Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) specifications.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein instructing further comprises instructing the hypervisor via at least one of:

a virtualization system, a virtual desktop management system, a provisioning system, and a directory service.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising managing a desktop session executing on the second physical machine and a desktop session executing on the virtual machine in substantially the same manner.

27. A system for using standards-based functionality to provide unified management, via out of band management communication, for a plurality of remote desktop sessions by an enhanced management access point executing on a first physical machine, comprising:

means for executing an enhanced management access point on a first physical machine;

means for monitoring a plurality of desktop sessions including a desktop session executing on one of a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the desktop session provides access to at least one application or file;

means for determining a first level of activity of the desktop session, wherein the first level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby;

means for receiving a notification of a migration of the desktop session to a third physical machine, the migrated desktop session maintaining the first level of activity on the third physical machine; and

means for instructing a management component on the third physical machine to modify the migrated desktop session from the first level of activity to a second level of activity, wherein the second level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby.

28. A system for using standards-based functionality to provide unified management, via out of band management communication, for a plurality of remote desktop sessions by an enhanced management access point executing on a first physical machine, comprising:

means for executing an enhanced management access point on a first physical machine;

means for monitoring a plurality of desktop sessions including a desktop session executing on one of;

a second physical machine and a virtual machine executing on the second physical machine, wherein the desktop session provides access to at least one application or file;

means for determining a first level of activity of the desktop session, wherein the first level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby;

means for receiving a notification of a migration of the desktop session to a virtual machine executing on a third physical machine, the migrated desktop session maintaining the first level of activity on the virtual machine executing on the third physical machine; and

means for instructing a hypervisor managing the virtual machine executing on the third physical machine to modify the migrated desktop session from the first level of activity to a second level of activity, wherein the second level of activity is one of;

active, inactive, hibernating and standby.