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Running a virtual machine directly from a physical machine using snapshots

  • US 8,032,351 B2
  • Filed: 11/30/2006
  • Issued: 10/04/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer program product for implementing a method for a computing system to run a virtual machine directly from a physical machine using snapshots of the physical machine, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:

  • an act of a snapshot component taking a snapshot of a physical system volume of the physical machine while the physical system volume is in an operational state; and

    an act of the virtual machine initializing using the physical system volume snapshot, thereby allowing the physical system volume snapshot to be a snapshot of a virtual system volume of the virtual machine representing an initial state of the virtual system volume, wherein the virtual machine accesses the same system volume as the physical machine;

    an act of the virtual machine updating the virtual system volume from the initial state as a result of a software update or patch installation;

    an act of testing the software update or patch on the virtual machine for expected functionality;

    an act of the snapshot component taking a snapshot of the virtual system volume while the virtual system volume is in an operational state;

    an act of the physical machine initializing using the snapshot of the virtual system volume thereby allowing the virtual system volume to be a physical system volume snapshot representing an initial state of the physical system volume, wherein;

    the virtual machine has the same operating system as the physical machine.

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