Multitenant hosted virtual machine infrastructure

• US 9,052,933 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• 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, Holland, Peter, Richardson, David William, Skelly, Roxanne Camille, Slioussar, Nikolai, Weeks, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US13/925,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20130290506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 709213-219, 709223-226, 718/1, 717168-178, 715/740
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, comprising:

for each of a plurality of virtual machines, displaying a visual indication of the virtual machine that includes a set of one or more graphical controls configured to manage the virtual machine; and

displaying a set of general graphical controls configured to synchronously manage two or more of the virtual machines of the plurality, such that a single activation of one of the displayed general graphical controls results in a control action being performed with respect to each of the two or more virtual machines of the plurality.

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

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

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, simultaneously with displaying the visual indications of the virtual machines, displaying (1) a first graphical control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to a selected state and (2) a second graphical control for changing the selection controls of all of the virtual machines of the plurality to a deselected state.

9. A computer-readable storage device having contents adapted to cause a programmed computer system comprising a processor, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output system, to perform operations, the operations comprising:

for each of a plurality of virtual machines, displaying a visual indication of the virtual machine that includes a set of one or more graphical controls configured to manage the virtual machine; and

displaying a set of general graphical controls configured to synchronously manage two or more of the virtual machines of the plurality, such that a single activation of one of the displayed general graphical controls results in a control action being performed with respect to each of the two or more virtual machines of the plurality.

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 a set of one or more graphical controls configured to manage the virtual machine; and

displaying a set of general graphical controls configured to synchronously manage two or more of the virtual machines of the plurality, such that a single activation of one of the displayed general graphical controls results in a control action being performed with respect to each of the two or more virtual machines of the plurality.

11. A virtual computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device having instructions executable by the processor to;

for each of a plurality of virtual machines, displaying a visual indication of the virtual machine that includes a set of one or more graphical controls configured to manage the virtual machine, and

displaying a set of general graphical controls configured to synchronously manage two or more of the virtual machines of the plurality, such that a single activation of one of the displayed general graphical controls results in a control action being performed with respect to each of the two or more virtual machines of the plurality.

12. The virtual computing device of claim 11 wherein the displayed set of general graphical controls and displayed set of individual graphical controls all include a control for beginning execution in one or more virtual machines.

13. The virtual computing device of claim 11 wherein the displayed set of general graphical controls and displayed set of individual graphical controls all include a control for suspending execution in one or more virtual machines.

14. The virtual computing device of claim 11 wherein the displayed set of general graphical controls and displayed set of individual graphical controls all include a control for ending execution in one or more virtual machines.

15. A virtual computing device comprising:

a means for displaying a visual indication for each of a plurality of virtual machines, wherein the display includes a set of one or more graphical controls configured to manage one or more of the virtual machine; and

a means for displaying a set of general graphical controls configured to synchronously manage two or more of the virtual machines of the plurality, such that a single activation of one of the displayed general graphical controls results in a control action being performed with respect to each of the two or more virtual machines of the plurality.