Multitenant hosted virtual machine infrastructure

• US 8,473,594 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2009
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skytap Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skytap Incorporated
• Inventors: Astete, Nicholas Luis, Brethorst, Aaron Benjamin, Goldberg, Joseph Michael, Hanlon, Matthew, Hutchinson, Anthony A. Jr., Janakiraman, Gopalakrishnan, Kotelnikov, Alexander, Novodvorskiy, Petr, Richardson, David William, Skelly, Roxanne Camille, Slioussar, Nikolai, Weeks, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/434,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,515 Days
• Field of Search: 709213-219, 709223-226, 718/1, 717168-178, 715/740
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A multi-tenant virtual machine infrastructure (MTVMI) allows multiple tenants to independently access and use a plurality of virtual computing resources via the Internet. Within the MTVMI, different tenants may define unique configurations of virtual computing resources and unique rules to govern the use of the virtual computing resources. The MTVMI may be configured to provide valuable services for tenants and users associated with the tenants.

Claims

1. A method in a computing system including at least one processor for managing virtual machines, comprising:

for each of a plurality of virtual machines, displaying a visual indication of the virtual machine that includes (1) identifying information for the virtual machine and (2) a set of individual controls usable to take management action with respect to the virtual machine, such that the visual indications of the virtual machines are displayed simultaneously; and

simultaneously with displaying the visual indications of the virtual machines, displaying a set of general controls usable to take synchronous management action with respect to more than one of the virtual machines of the plurality.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for beginning execution in one or more virtual machines.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for suspending execution in one or more virtual machines.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for ending execution in one or more virtual machines.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for persistently storing the state of one or more virtual machines.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for deallocating one or more virtual machines.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for changing settings for one or more virtual machines.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, for each of the plurality of virtual machines, the displayed indication further includes a selection control that may be manipulated by a user to either have a selected state such that the general controls take action with respect to the virtual machine or deselected state such that the general controls do not take action with respect to the virtual machine.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising, simultaneously with displaying the visual indications of the virtual machines, displaying (1) a first control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to the selected state and (2) a second control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to the deselected state.

10. A computer-readable storage device storing contents adapted to cause a computing system including at least one processor to perform a method for managing virtual machines, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of virtual machines, displaying a visual indication of the virtual machine that includes (1) identifying information for the virtual machine and (2) a set of individual controls usable to take management action with respect to the virtual machine, such that the visual indications of the virtual machines are displayed simultaneously; and

simultaneously with displaying the visual indications of the virtual machines, displaying a set of general controls usable to take synchronous management action with respect to more than one of the virtual machines of the plurality.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for beginning execution in one or more virtual machines.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for suspending execution in one or more virtual machines.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for ending execution in one or more virtual machines.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for persistently storing the state of one or more virtual machines.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for deallocating one or more virtual machines.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein the displayed set of general controls and displayed set of individual controls all include a control for changing settings for one or more virtual machines.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 wherein, for each of the plurality of virtual machines, the displayed indication further includes a selection control that may be manipulated by a user to either have a selected state such that the general controls take action with respect to the virtual machine or deselected state such that the general controls do not take action with respect to the virtual machine.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, the method further comprising, simultaneously with displaying the visual indications of the virtual machines, displaying (1) a first control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to the selected state and (2) a second control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to the deselected state.