Virtual Machine Image Update Service

• US 20110225574A1
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Havens, Jeffrey Lee, Khalidi, Yousef A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for updating a component utilized by an application within a distributed computing environment. An inventory of components relied on by applications within a distributed computing environment is created and maintained to facilitate identifying applications utilizing a particular component. A determination is made from the inventory of applications that utilize the particular component. An indication is received that an update is available for the particular component. An application image for an application utilizing the particular component is booted in an isolated computing environment to allow the component to be updated. A new image of the application is created to reflect the updated component. A user, such as a developer, of the application may be notified that the new image is available for future instantiations of the application.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by a computing system having a processor and memory, cause the computing system to perform a method for updating an application image with a component, the method comprising:

automatically determining the component is utilized by a service that is accessible through a distributed computing environment, wherein the service is an instantiation of an application represented by the application image;

receiving an indication that an update for the component is available;

identifying the application image is utilizing the component;

automatically executing the application image in an isolated computing environment of the distributed computing environment to update the component;

and

storing, within the distributed computing environment, a new application image reflecting the application having the component updated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of components is an inventory provided by a developer of the application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a source of the component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the application image is utilizing the component is accomplished without intervention by a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the application image is utilizing the component includes referencing an inventory of components utilized by the application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the isolated computing environment is a virtual machine having defined network connections within the distributed computing environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the isolated computing environment includes parameters that facilitate updating the component without disrupting the distributed computing environment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the isolated computing environment is a resource within the distributed computing environment that is not controlled by a user of the application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the isolated computing environment prevents the service from broadcasting resources associated with the component.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the new application image preserves features particular to the application image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the features are customizations to the application.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprises employing an update agent to apply the update to the component within the isolated computing environment.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprises maintain the application image following the storing of the new application image.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprises notifying a user of the application that the new application image is stored within the distributed computing environment.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprises receiving an indication from the user to instantiate the new application image for new instances of the application.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprises receiving an indication from the user to instantiate the application image instead of the new application image for new instances of the application.

17. A computer system for performing a method for updating a component of an application image, the computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer storage medium, the computer storage medium having stored there on a plurality of computer software executable by the processor, the computer software comprising:

a receiving service for receiving an update to a component utilized by one or more applications in a distributed computing environment;

a component update service for automatically identifying an application image, for an application of the one or more applications, capable of utilizing the component;

the component update service executing the application image in a virtual machine that is an isolated computing environment within the distributed computing environment;

the component update service facilitating an update agent with applying the update to the component in the isolated computing environment; and

the component update service facilitates storing a new image of the application.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein executing the application image in the virtual machine operates without human intervention.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the new image automatically maintains features particular to the application image.

20. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by a computing system having a processor and memory, cause the computing system to perform a method for updating an application image with a component, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of components utilized by an application that is represented by an application image;

recording the plurality of components as an inventory;

receiving an indication of an update for a component of the plurality of components;

automatically identifying, from the inventory, the application image utilizes the component;

executing the application image in an isolated computing environment of the distributed computing system;

receiving the update for the component at the isolated computing environment;

facilitating update of the component within the isolated computing environment;

verifying the component is updated within the isolated computing environment;

creating a new application image of the application utilizing the updated component;

storing the new application image within the distributed computing environment; and

notifying a user of the application that the new application image is available within the distributed computing environment.