Method and System for Fast Provisioning of Virtual Desktop

• US 20150058837A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: GOVINDANKUTTY, Sivaprasad, JOSE, Jubish K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,384 B2
• 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 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for provisioning a virtual desktop. A VM hosting the desktop may be joined to a domain using offline domain join and customized by modifying contents of a virtual disk of the VM, as per the customization requirements, without powering on the VM. While the VM is powered off, a composer application customizes the VM by applying system and user profile configuration changes and network configuration changes, as well as optionally creating a user data disk and pushing to the VM a script for formatting said disk during the VM'"'"'s first power-on. In addition, while the VM is powered off, the composer invokes a domain joining tool to join the VM to a domain controller without having to reboot the VM. A snapshot is then taken of the VM, after which the VM is then powered on and the script for formatting the user data disk executes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of provisioning a virtual desktop hosted on a virtual machine (VM) without rebooting the VM, comprising:

before powering on the VM;

applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM, by;

mounting the virtual disk to an application external to the VM;

loading one or more registry hives from the mounted virtual disk; and

modifying registry keys in the one or more loaded registry hives and,

joining the VM to a domain; and

powering on the VM.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, taking a reference snapshot before powering on the VM.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM includes:

applying system and user profile configurations; and

applying a network configuration.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising,

while the VM is powered off:

creating a user data disk, and

pushing a script for formatting the user data disk to the VM, wherein the script is executed after the VM is powered on.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the script further includes activities, other than formatting the user data disk, that are capable of being performed after a reference snapshot

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the activities include registering an operating system of the VM.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the activities include assigning a driver to the user data disk.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the VM is joined to the domain using Microsoft Offline Domain Join.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing comprising instructions for causing a computer system to carry out a method of provisioning a virtual desktop hosted on a virtual machine (VM) without rebooting the VM, the method comprising:

before powering on the VM;

applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM, by;

mounting the virtual disk to an application external to the VM;

loading one or more registry hives from the mounted virtual disk; and

modifying registry keys in the one or more loaded registry hives and,

joining the VM to a domain; and

powering on the VM.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising, taking a reference snapshot before powering on the VM.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM includes:

applying system and user profile configurations; and

applying a network configuration.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising,

while the VM is powered off:

creating a user data disk, and

pushing a script for formatting the user data disk to the VM, wherein the script is executed after the VM is powered on.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the script further includes activities, other than formatting the user data disk, that are capable of being performed after a reference snapshot

14. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the activities include registering an operating system of the VM.

15. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the activities include assigning a driver to the user data disk.

16. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the VM is joined to the domain using Microsoft Offline Domain Join.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the memory includes a program for reducing perceived read latency, the program being configured to perform operations for provisioning a virtual desktop hosted on a virtual machine (VM) without rebooting the VM, the operations comprising;

before powering on the VM;

applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM, by;

mounting the virtual disk to an application external to the VM,

loading one or more registry hives from the mounted virtual disk, and

modifying registry keys in the one or more loaded registry hives and;

joining the VM to a domain, and

powering on the VM.

18. The system of claim 17, the operations further comprising, taking a reference snapshot before powering on the VM.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein applying configurations and customizations to a virtual disk of the VM includes:

applying system and user profile configurations; and

applying a network configuration.

20. The system of claim 17, the operations further comprising,

while the VM is powered off:

creating a user data disk, and

pushing a script for formatting the user data disk to the VM, wherein the script is executed after the VM is powered on.