Subsequent processing of scanning task utilizing subset of virtual machines predetermined to have scanner process and adjusting amount of subsequest VMs processing based on load

• US 8,516,478 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musarubra US LLC (Musarubra US SellCo LLC)
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Edwards, Jonathan L., Teddy, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMABE, BLAKE K
• Application Number:
  US12/138,104
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 718/1, 718/106, 709/201
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for processing a task utilizing a virtual machine as a function of an aspect of another virtual machine. In use, a task to be processed is identified. Furthermore, the task is processed utilizing at least one virtual machine located in a device as a function of at least one aspect of at least one other virtual machine located on the device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:

identify a scanning task to be processed on a first virtual machine of a plurality of virtual machines;

determine a subset of the plurality of virtual machines that have a scanner process;

predetermine, prior to processing the scanning task, a first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on a number of virtual machines determined to be in the subset, the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing to be executed respectively on a first, second, and subsequent virtual machine of the subset;

determine a load on a system of the first virtual machine, wherein the load is compared to a first high threshold and a second low threshold;

perform a first adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on the comparison of the load on the system with the first high threshold and the second low threshold;

perform a second adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on an activity limit of each of the first, second, and subsequent virtual machine of the subset;

process the first amount of the identified scanning task within the first virtual machine;

process the second amount of the identified scanning task within the second virtual machine; and

process subsequent predetermined amounts of the identified scanning task within subsequent virtual machines of the subset until processing of the identified scanning task has been completed.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions to cause one or more processors to identify a scanning task to be processed comprise instructions to cause one or more processors to identify a request for the scanning task to be processed.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the request is issued by the first virtual machine.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the request is issued by an on demand scanner of the first virtual machine.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a scheduler determines each predetermined amount of the identified scanning task to be processed on each of the subset of virtual machines.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the scheduler is located on at least one virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines.

7. A method, comprising:

identifying a scanning task to be processed on a first virtual machine of a plurality of virtual machines on a device;

determining a subset of the plurality of virtual machines that have a scanner processing;

predetermining, prior to processing the scanning task, a first and subsequent amount of processing based on a number of virtual machines determined to be in the subset, the first and subsequent amount of processing to be executed respectively on a first and subsequent virtual machine of the subset;

determining a load on a system of the first virtual machine, wherein the load is compared to a first high threshold and a second low threshold;

performing a first adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first and subsequent amount of processing based on the comparison of the load on the system with the first high threshold and the second low threshold;

performing a second adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first and subsequent amount of processing based on an activity limit of each of the first and subsequent virtual machines of the subset;

processing the first amount of the identified scanning task within the first virtual machine; and

processing the subsequent amounts of the identified scanning task by a sequence of other virtual machines of the subset until processing of the identified scanning task has been completed.

8. The method of claim 7, where the sequence of other virtual machines is determined prior to processing the first predetermined amount of the identified scanning task.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a scheduler determines each predetermined amount of the identified scanning task to be processed on each of the subset of virtual machines.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing are limited by a percentage calculated according to the number of virtual machines on the device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the scanning task to be processed comprises identifying a request for the scanning task to be processed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is issued by the first virtual machine.

13. A system with a plurality of virtual machines, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor adapted to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

receive a scanning task to be processed;

determine a subset of a plurality of virtual machines that have a scanner process;

order the subset of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein a first, second, and subsequent virtual machines of the subset are identified to process the scanning task;

predetermine, prior to processing the scanning task, a first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on a number of virtual machines determined to be in the subset, the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing to be executed respectively on a first, second, and subsequent virtual machine of the subset;

determine a load on the system, wherein the load is compared to a first high threshold and a second low threshold;

perform a first adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on the comparison of the load on the system with the first high threshold and the second low threshold;

perform a second adjustment, prior to processing the scanning task, to the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing based on an activity limit of each of the first, second, and subsequent virtual machines of the subset;

process the first amount of the scanning task within the first virtual machine;

process the second amount of the scanning task within the second virtual machine; and

process the subsequent amounts of the scanning task by subsequent virtual machines of the subset plurality of virtual until processing of the scanning task has been completed.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a scheduler which orders the plurality of virtual machines and determines each predetermined amount of the scanning task to be processed on each of the subset of virtual machines.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the scheduler is located on at least one virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first, second, and subsequent amount of processing are limited by a percentage calculated according to the number of virtual machines on the system.