System and Method for Updating an Offline Virtual Machine

• US 20110265076A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Bharti, Thorat, Nishant Shivajirao
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

A system and method for updating an offline virtual machine are disclosed. The method comprises mounting an image of an offline virtual machine on a host operating system. The method further comprises generating drive-mapping information for the mounted virtual machine image and loading registry information of the mounted virtual machine image onto the host operating system using the drive-mapping information. An update to be applied to the offline virtual machine is determined based on the registry information and a patch bundle is retrieved based on the determination, wherein the patch bundle comprises registry update instructions, file system update instructions, and a patch file. The patch bundle is executed on the host operating system to update the offline virtual machine.

Claims

1. A method for updating offline virtual machines, the method comprising:

mounting an image of an offline virtual machine on a host operating system;

generating drive-mapping information for the mounted virtual machine image;

loading registry information of the mounted virtual machine image onto the host operating system using the drive-mapping information;

determining an update to be applied to the offline virtual machine based on the registry information;

retrieving a patch bundle based on the determination, wherein the patch bundle comprises registry update instructions, file system update instructions, and a patch file; and

executing the patch bundle on the host operating system to update the offline virtual machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting comprises mounting the virtual machine image as a virtual disk device on the host operating system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising redirecting execution of the registry update instructions and the file system update instructions to the virtual disk device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the patch bundle further comprises:

recording virtual machine update information and file system modification information;

writing the registry update instructions and the file system update instructions;

retrieving the patch file; and

bundling the patch registry update information, the registry update instructions and file system update instructions, and the patch file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein recording further comprises recording at least one of:

registry system location;

file system location; and

system configuration information of the host operating system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein writing the registry update instructions comprises writing instructions that are operable to perform at least one of:

updating system files;

replacing system files; and

updating registry locations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the registry information comprises:

loading user registry hives; and

loading system registry hives.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising counter-checking to confirm virtual machine update.

9. A system for updating offline virtual machines, the system comprising:

a processor-controlled server, the server comprising;

a memory;

a virtual machine image mount engine being operable to;

mount an image of an offline virtual machine on a host operating system; and

generate drive-mapping information;

a virtual machine image-rendering engine being operable to load registry information of the mounted virtual machine image onto the host operating system using the drive-mapping information;

a patch manager being operable to;

determine an update to be applied to the virtual machine by examining the registry information; and

retrieve a patch bundle based on the determination, wherein the patch bundle comprises;

virtual machine update information,

patch files, and

registry update instructions and file system update instructions; and

an offline virtual machine image update engine being operable to execute the patch bundle and update the offline virtual machine.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the virtual machine image mount engine mounts the virtual machine image as a virtual disk device on the host operating system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the virtual machine image-rendering engine redirects execution of the registry update instructions and file system update instructions to the virtual disk device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the patch manager is further operable to:

record virtual machine update information and file system modification information;

write the registry update instructions and the file system update instructions;

retrieve the patch file; and

bundle the patch registry update information, the registry update instructions and file system update instructions, and the patch file.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the offline virtual machine image update engine comprises a scripting engine for interfacing with the virtual machine image-rendering engine.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the virtual machine update information comprises at least one of virtual machine registry information location, virtual machine file system location, or system configuration information of the virtual machine image to be updated.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the registry and the file system update instructions comprise one or more instructions to update virtual machine system files, replace virtual machine system files, or update virtual machine registry locations.

16. Logic encoded in a tangible computer readable media, the logic operable when executed by a processor-controlled computer to:

mount an image of an offline virtual machine on a host operating system;

generate drive-mapping information for the mounted virtual machine image;

load registry information of the mounted virtual machine image onto the host operating system using the drive-mapping information;

determine an update to be applied to the offline virtual machine by examining the registry information;

retrieve a patch bundle based on the determination, wherein the patch bundle comprises registry update instructions, file system update instructions, and a patch file; and

execute the patch bundle on the host operating system to update the offline virtual machine.

17. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic is further operable to mount the virtual machine image as a virtual disk device on the host operating system.

18. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable to redirect execution of the registry update instructions and file system update instructions to the virtual disk device.

19. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic is further operable to:

record virtual machine update information and file system modification information;

write the registry update instructions and the file system update instructions;

retrieve the patch file; and

bundle the patch registry update information, the registry update instructions and file system update instructions, and the patch file.