Compliance-based adaptations in managed virtual systems

• US 9,170,833 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Manage IQ, Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Joseph, Barenboim, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Camquy
• Application Number:
  US14/479,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0712 in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• 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: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

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. A method for enforcing a policy associated with a virtual machine, the method comprising:

receiving a virtual machine event request;

receiving first data from within the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request, wherein the first data was extracted from within the virtual machine prior to receiving the virtual machine event request, and the first data was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request for later processing after receiving the virtual machine event request;

receiving second different data from an environment outside the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determining whether an internal non-compliance by the virtual machine of a first policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the first data that was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determining whether an external non-compliance by the virtual machine as provided in the environment of a second different policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the second different data; and

in response to determining that at least one of the internal non-compliance and the external non-compliance exists, denying the virtual machine event request unless at least one of (i) the virtual machine and (ii) the environment is adapted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal non-compliance includes at least one of software that has not been installed on the virtual machine, software that has been removed from the virtual machine, and software that has not been updated on the virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes insertion of data into the virtual machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes at least one of updating a virus definition, installing anti-virus software, installing a security patch, executing an anti-virus scanning application, removing malware, and disabling malware.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the malware includes at least one of a virus, worm, trojan horse, rootkit, spyware, and adware.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes adjusting security settings associated with the virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine comprises deleting unauthorized content from the virtual machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes at least one of obtaining necessary licensing associated with the virtual machine and automatically issuing a notification to an administrator to obtain licensing associated with the virtual machine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes scheduling at least one of an agent and a process to carryout remedial action, and scheduling at least one of an agent or process includes at least one of requesting, transferring, downloading, and installing at least one of security updates for the virtual machine and security patches for the virtual machine, searching for and eradicating malware associated with the virtual machine, and registering the virtual machine for use in a managed system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes restricting access permissions, so that the virtual machine can only access certain content, resources, and areas of a managed system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes at least one of adding, updating, and deleting user account information, so as to limit account authority associated with the virtual machine.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the virtual machine includes validating adaptations made to the virtual machine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein validating adaptations made includes repeating policy-based compliance testing that was used to determine the virtual machine was non-compliant.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine is at least one of a virtual application and a virtual appliance.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine is part of a group that includes a plurality of virtual machines, and the virtual machine is adapted when a quorum of the plurality of virtual machines have been adapted.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment is at least one of a virtual machine manager, a host environment, a management agent, and an execution platform.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine is adapted to comply with the first policy-based compliance scheme by, within the virtual machine, at least one of modifying, inserting, deleting, and configuring at least one of a file, a parameter, a setting, data, a procedure call, a scheduled event, an agent, and a process.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment is adapted to comply with the second policy-based compliance scheme by, in the environment outside the virtual machine, at least one of registering, integrating, acquiring, modifying, inserting, deleting, and configuring at least one of a configuration management database, an asset management database, a license manager, a server, a license, a file, a parameter, a setting, data, a procedure call, a scheduled event, an agent, and a process.

19. An apparatus for enforcing a policy associated with a virtual machine, the apparatus comprising:

a hardware processor, and a machine readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to;

receive a virtual machine event request;

receive first data from within the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request, wherein the first data was extracted from within the virtual machine prior to receiving the virtual machine event request, and the first data was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request for later processing after receiving the virtual machine event request;

receive second different data from an environment outside the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determine whether an internal non-compliance by the virtual machine of a first policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the first data that was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determine whether an external non-compliance by the virtual machine as provided in the environment of a second different policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the second different data; and

in response to determining that at least one of the internal non-compliance and the external non-compliance exists, deny the virtual machine event request unless at least one of (i) the virtual machine and (ii) the environment is adapted.

20. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for enforcing a policy associated with a virtual machine, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive a virtual machine event request;

receive first data from within the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request, wherein the first data was extracted from within the virtual machine prior to receiving the virtual machine event request, and the first data was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request for later processing after receiving the virtual machine event request;

receive second different data from an environment outside the virtual machine in response to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determine whether an internal non-compliance by the virtual machine of a first policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the first data that was stored prior to receiving the virtual machine event request;

determine whether an external non-compliance by the virtual machine as provided in the environment of a second different policy-based compliance scheme exists based on the second different data; and

in response to determining that at least one of the internal non-compliance and the external non-compliance exists, deny the virtual machine event request unless at least one of (i) the virtual machine and (ii) the environment is adapted.