Automatic optimization for virtual systems

• US 8,612,971 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ManageIQ, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Joseph, Barenboim, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHE, MENG YAO
• Application Number:
  US11/550,368
• Time in Patent Office: 2,618 Days
• Field of Search: 718/1
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45591 Monitoring or debugging support
• 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 controlling and managing virtual machines and other such virtual systems. VM execution approval is based on compliance with policies controlling various aspects of VM. The techniques can be employed to benefit all virtual environments, such as virtual machines, virtual appliances, and virtual applications. For ease of discussion herein, assume that a virtual machine (VM) represents each of these environments. In one particular embodiment, a systems management partition (SMP) is created inside the VM to provide a persistent and resilient storage for management information (e.g., logical and physical VM metadata). The SMP can also be used as a staging area for installing additional content or agentry on the VM when the VM is executed. Remote storage of management information can also be used. The VM management information can then be made available for pre-execution processing, including policy-based compliance testing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for optimization of a virtual machine, the apparatus comprising:

a memory device storing instructions; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to a first virtual machine, the computing device including a processor operably coupled to the memory device, the processor executing the instructions to;

detect an adaptation of the first virtual machine, the adaption including at least one of software that has been installed on the first virtual machine, software that has been removed from the first virtual machine, and software that has been updated on the first virtual machine;

suggest a variant of the first virtual machine that includes the adaptation; and

derive the variant of the first virtual machine to create a second different virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine is evolved to become the second virtual machine, and wherein the computing device is programmed to detect and remove an under-utilized software application from the first virtual machine to create the second virtual machine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to add a security patch to the first virtual machine to create the second different virtual machine.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to determine that the adaptation occurred a plurality of times during a plurality of executions of the first virtual machine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in a third virtual machine that is logically associated in a group with the first virtual machine.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in the third virtual machine prior to a first execution of the third virtual machine.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the group includes a plurality of virtual machines, and the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in the third virtual machine if a quorum of the plurality of virtual machines have received the adaptation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removal of the under-utilized software application conserves a license use.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times is detected based on historical data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times is a service pack which was reapplied during each virtual machine use session.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times includes consistently re-installing and removing software during each virtual machine use session.

11. An apparatus for optimization of a virtual machine, the apparatus comprising:

a memory device storing instructions; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to a first virtual machine, the computing device including a processor operably coupled to the memory device, the processor executing the instructions to;

detect an adaptation of the first virtual machine, the adaption including at least one of software that has been installed on the first virtual machine, software that has been removed from the first virtual machine, and software that has been updated on the first virtual machine;

suggest a variant of the first virtual machine that includes the adaptation; and

derive the variant of the first virtual machine to create a second different virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine is evolved to become the second virtual machine,

wherein the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in a third virtual machine that is logically associated in a group with the first virtual machine, and

wherein the group includes a plurality of virtual machines, and the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in the third virtual machine if a quorum of the plurality of virtual machines have received the adaptation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device is programmed to add a security patch to the first virtual machine to create the second different virtual machine.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device is programmed to determine that the adaptation occurred a plurality of times during a plurality of executions of the first virtual machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device is programmed to include the adaptation in the third virtual machine prior to a first execution of the third virtual machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computing device is programmed to detect and remove an under-utilized software application from the first virtual machine to create the second virtual machine, and the removal of the under-utilized software application conserves a license use.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times is detected based on historical data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times is a service pack which was reapplied during each virtual machine use session.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the adaptation that occurred a plurality of times includes consistently re-installing and removing software during each virtual machine use session.