Parallelizing multiple boot images with virtual machines

• US 7,536,541 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Isaacson, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/370,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/1, 713/100, 713/106, 713/107, 713/108
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

A system and method are presented for converting a multi-boot computer to a virtual machine. Existing boot images on a multi-boot computer are identified and converted into virtual machine instances. Each virtual machine instance represents an operating system and is capable of running at the same time. Finally, a new hosting operating system is installed. The new hosting operating system launches and manages the converted virtual machine instances.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer;

a hard disk on the computer;

a display on the computer;

a boot manager on the computer, the boot manager configured to display a boot menu on the display upon startup of the computer;

a first boot image managed by the boot manager, the first boot image including a first operating system (OS) to run on the computer from a first partition on the hard disk;

a new hosting OS configured to launch and manage a plurality of virtual machine (VM) instances;

a converter to convert the first boot image to a first VM instance to run under the new hosting OS;

a second boot image managed by the boot manager, the second boot image including a second OS to run on the computer from a second partition on the hard disk, wherein the converter converts the second boot image to a second VM instance to run under the new hosting OS;

a conflict detector to detect a conflict between the first VM instance and the second VM instance; and

a conflict resolver to resolve the detected conflict;

wherein the conflict resolver includes;

a conflict notifier to notify a user of the detected conflict; and

a resolution selector to enable the user to select a preferred resolution.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conflict detector includes a public key interface (PKI) conflict detector to detect a PKI conflict.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conflict detector includes an internet protocol (IP) address conflict detect to detect an IP address conflict.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conflict resolver includes running the first VM instance and not the second VM instance.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the converter includes:

a configuration detector to detect a first configuration for the first boot image; and

a configuration creator to create a second configuration for the first VM corresponding to the first configuration.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a configuration customizer to enable a user to customize the second configuration for the first VM.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the new hosting OS runs the first VM instance and the second VM instance in parallel.

8. A method for converting a multi-boot system on a computer into a virtual machine (VM) capable of running more than one operating system (OS) at the same time, the method comprising:

identifying a first boot image on a first partition of a hard disk on the computer;

converting the first boot image to a first VM instance;

identifying a second boot image on a second partition on the computer;

converting the second boot image to a second VM instance;

installing a new hosting OS capable of running the first VM instance and the second VM instance;

checking for a conflict between the first VM instance and the second VM instance; and

resolving the conflict;

wherein resolving the conflict includes;

notifying a user of the conflict; and

receiving from the user a preferred resolution.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein checking for a conflict includes checking for a public key infrastructure (PKI) conflict.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein checking for a conflict includes checking for an internet protocol (IP) address conflict.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein resolving the conflict includes automatically resolving the conflict.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein resolving the conflict includes running only one of the first VM instance and the second VM instance.

13. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a configuration of the first boot image; and

configuring the first VM instance.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising repartitioning the hard disk.

15. An article, comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a machine, result in;

identifying a boot manager capable of loading more than one operating system (OS);

identifying a first boot image on a first partition of a hard disk;

converting the first boot image into a first virtual machine (VM) instance;

identifying a second boot image on a second partition;

converting the second boot image to a second VM instance; and

installing a new hosting OS, the new hosting OS to run the first VM instance and the second VM instance;

checking for a conflict between the first VM instance and the second VM instance; and

resolving the conflict;

wherein resolving the conflict includes;

notifying a user of the conflict; and

receiving from the user a preferred resolution.

16. An article according to claim 15, wherein checking for a conflict includes identifying a conflict that will prevent the first VM instance and the second VM instance from running at the same time.

17. An article according to claim 15, wherein resolving the conflict includes automatically resolving the conflict.

18. An article according to claim 15, wherein the new hosting OS runs the first VM instance and the second VM instance in parallel.

19. An article according to claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a configuration of the first boot image; and

configuring the first VM instance.

20. An article according to claim 15, further comprising repartitioning the hard disk.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer;

a boot manager on the computer;

a first boot image managed by the boot manager, the first boot image including a first operating system (OS) to run on the computer;

a new hosting OS;

a converter to convert the first boot image to a first virtual machine (VM) instance to run under the new hosting OS;

a second boot image managed by the boot manager, the second boot image including a second OS to run on the computer, wherein the converter converts the second boot image to a second VM instance to run under the new hosting OS;

a conflict detector to detect a conflict between the first VM instance and the second VM instance; and

a conflict resolver to resolve the detected conflict, the conflict resolver including;

a conflict notifier to notify a user of the detected conflict; and

a resolution selector to enable the user to select a preferred resolution.