Providing virtual desktops using resources accessed on public computer networks

• US 9,201,667 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnissa, LLC
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ringdahl, Kenneth, Baron, Steven, Ahlawat, Pranay, Becker, Robert S., McKay, Peter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUSA, ABDELNABI O
• Application Number:
  US13/341,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/225, 709/247
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A computer system supports hosting of virtual desktops using resources available in the cloud. Connections to various resources used by a desktop configuration are made dynamically using authentication information associated with the user assigned to the desktop configuration. In addition to using file storage, directory services and user management information on private resources on a private network, these resources may also be accessed through a public network.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a computer hosting a management system for a service provider to provision virtual desktops and manage access, by a plurality of users using client access devices, to the virtual desktops hosted on one or more host machines on a first computer network, wherein a user among the plurality of users is assigned to a virtual desktop among the virtual desktops hosted on the host machines;

wherein the virtual desktops are allocated one or more additional resources located on a second computer network and accessed by the virtual desktops over a public computer network, each virtual desktop using authentication information for authentication with and connection to the additional resources, wherein the authentication information used by each virtual desktop is associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop;

wherein access to the additional resources on the second computer network by the client access devices occurs through the virtual desktops on the host machines using the authentication information associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop; and

wherein the management system derives virtual desktops from a common template, wherein the common template defines the virtual desktop, including an operating system, applications, indications of the additional resources for the virtual desktop, and configuration information, and wherein the management system creates the virtual desktops for the users using one or more license keys, available memory of the host machines, processing resources of the host machines, and the indications of the additional resources.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the virtual desktops comprises:

virtual desktops on one or more host machines on a service provider management computer network; and

virtual desktops on one or more host machines connected to a computer network that is a separate computer network than the service provider managed computer network.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for multiple tenants using both the service provider managed host machines and the host machines on the separate computer network.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the host machines reside in a plurality of independent data centers.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for each of multiple tenants using the host machines in the plurality of data centers.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for each of multiple tenants using the host machines in the plurality of independent data centers.

7. A computer system providing virtual desktops in a cloud computing model, comprising:

a plurality of remote host machines, each hosting a plurality of virtual desktops, wherein a user among a plurality of users is assigned to a virtual desktop among the virtual desktops hosted on the host machines,

wherein the host machines include host machines on a service provider managed computer network and on a first computer network that is separate from the service provider managed computer network;

wherein the virtual desktops are allocated one or more additional resources located on a second computer network and accessed by the virtual desktops remotely over a public computer network, each virtual desktop using authentication information for authentication with and connection to the resources, wherein the authentication information used by each virtual desktop is associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop; and

a computer hosting a management system for a service provider to provision virtual desktops and manage access by the plurality of users using remote client access devices to the virtual desktops;

wherein access to the additional resources on the second computer network by the remote client access devices occurs through the virtual desktops on the host machines using the authentication information associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop; and

wherein the management system derives the virtual desktops from a common template, wherein the common template defines the virtual desktop, including an operating system, applications, indications of the additional resources for the virtual desktop, and configuration information, and wherein the management system creates the virtual desktops for the users using

one or more license keys, available memory of the host machines, processing resources of the host machines, and the indications of the additional resources.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for multiple tenants using both the service provider managed host machines and the host machines on the separate computer network.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the host machines reside in a plurality of data centers.

10. An article of manufacture comprising:

storage in which a management system and virtual desktop patterns are stored and which configure one or more computers in a computer system to provide;

a computer with a management system for a service provider to provision virtual desktops and manage access, by a plurality of users using client access devices, to the virtual desktops hosted on one or more host machines on a first computer network, wherein a user among the plurality of users is assigned to a virtual desktop among the virtual desktops hosted on the host machines;

wherein the virtual desktops are allocated one or more additional resources located on a second computer network and accessed by the virtual desktops over a public computer network, each virtual desktop using authentication information for authentication with and connection to the additional resources, wherein the authentication information used by each virtual desktop is associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop;

wherein access to the additional resources on the second computer network by the remote client access devices occurs through the virtual desktops on the host machines using the authentication information associated with the user assigned to the virtual desktop; and

wherein the management system derives the virtual desktops from a common template, wherein the common template defines the virtual desktop, including an operating system, applications, indications of the additional resources for the virtual desktop, and configuration information, and wherein the management system creates the virtual desktops for the users using one or more license keys, available memory of the host machines, processing resources of the host machines, and the indications of the additional resources.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the virtual desktops in the configured computer system comprises virtual desktops on one or more host machines on a service provider management computer network, and virtual desktops on one or more host machines connected to a computer network that is a separate computer network than the service provider managed computer network.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for multiple tenants using both the service provider managed host machines and the host machines on the separate computer network.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the host machines reside in a plurality of independent data centers.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the management system allows the service provider to allocate resources for each of multiple tenants using the host machines in the plurality of independent data centers.