Creating and deploying service-ready virtual hard disks
First Claim
1. A method for building virtual hard disks for deployment in an online system, comprising:
- accessing a build project that specifies actions to perform to create a set of deployment ready virtual hard disks (VHDs) for remote deployment in an online service that comprises disparate networks that include machines arranged in farms;
automatically building a dependency tree from the build project to determine an order in which to build the VHDs;
detecting, by a computing device, a trigger event, comprising at least one of;
a new version of software is detected, a specific date, a new farm request, a new machine request, and a new type of VM is defined;
automatically building the VHDs according to the build order determined by the dependency tree using the build project in response to the trigger event;
wherein different VHDs within the build project are created based on a role of a virtual machine; and
storing the VHDs in a data store for automatic deployment.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cloud manager controls the deployment and management of machines for an online service. A build system creates deployment-ready virtual hard disks (VHDs) that are installed on machines that are spread across one or more networks in farms that each may include different configurations. The build system is configured to build VHDs of differing configurations that depend on a role of the virtual machine (VM) for which the VHD will be used. The build system uses the VHDs to create virtual machines (VMs) in both test and production environments for the online service. The cloud manager system automatically provisions machines with the created virtual hard disks (VHDs). Identical VHDs can be installed directly on the machines that have already been tested.
23 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for building virtual hard disks for deployment in an online system, comprising:
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accessing a build project that specifies actions to perform to create a set of deployment ready virtual hard disks (VHDs) for remote deployment in an online service that comprises disparate networks that include machines arranged in farms; automatically building a dependency tree from the build project to determine an order in which to build the VHDs; detecting, by a computing device, a trigger event, comprising at least one of;
a new version of software is detected, a specific date, a new farm request, a new machine request, and a new type of VM is defined;automatically building the VHDs according to the build order determined by the dependency tree using the build project in response to the trigger event;
wherein different VHDs within the build project are created based on a role of a virtual machine; andstoring the VHDs in a data store for automatic deployment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable storage medium, excluding a signal, having computer-executable instructions for building virtual hard disks for deployment in an online system, comprising:
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accessing a build project that specifies actions to perform to create a set of virtual hard disks (VHDs) and virtual machines (VMs) for remote deployment in an online service that comprises disparate networks that include machines arranged in farms; detecting, by a machine within a central service that deploys and manages the machines for the online service, a trigger event, comprising at least one of;
a new version of software is detected, a specific date, a new farm request, a new machine request, and a new type of VM is defined;automatically determining an order in which to build the VHDs based on dependencies from a dependency tree indicated in the build project; automatically building the VHDs using the build project using the machine within the central service in response to the trigger event; storing the VHDs in a data store for automatic deployment; and automatically deploying the VHDs to machines in the online service, wherein the VHDs are installed on machines in response to a command received from a remote machine in the central service. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for building virtual hard disks for deployment in an online service, comprising:
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a cloud manager coupled to multiple different networks that is operative to manage deployment of machines and configuration of the networks and that automatically deploys virtual hard disks (VHDs) to machines in the online service; a data store in each of the different networks that is used to store virtual hard disks that are used in deployment of machines within that network; and a build machine, comprising; a processor and a computer-readable medium; an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and instructions stored on the computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the build machine to; access a build project that specifies actions to perform to create a set of virtual hard disks (VHDs) and virtual machines (VMs) for remote deployment; detect a trigger event, comprising at least one of;
a new version of software is detected, a specific date, a new farm request, a new machine request, and a new type of VM is defined;automatically determine an order in which to build the VHDs based on dependencies from a dependency tree indicated in the build project; automatically build the VHDs using the build project in response to the trigger event; and store the VHDs in a data store for automatic deployment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification