Methods and apparatus to manage virtual machines

• US 9,361,336 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reddy, Thirumalesh, Indireddy, Sreekantha, Ankala, Shreekanth, Mathia, Bhavin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T
• Application Number:
  US14/315,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-105, 717110-113, 717120-123, 717171-173, 717176-178, 718/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage virtual machines are disclosed. An example method includes deploying a virtual machine, storing deployment information about the virtual machine, including an associated workload, in a database, retrieving configuration information, including the deployment information from the database, and displaying, via a processor, the configuration information including an indication that the virtual machine is associated with other virtual machines that are associated with the workload.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

deploying a virtual machine;

storing deployment information about the deployed virtual machine, including tagging the deployment information associated with the deployed virtual machine with an identification of an associated workload, in a database;

retrieving configuration information, including the deployment information from the database; and

displaying, via a processor, the configuration information for the deployed virtual machine including an indication that the deployed virtual machine is associated with other deployed virtual machines that are associated with the workload, the configuration information including a unique identifier for the deployed virtual machine and a network address utilized by the deployed virtual machine.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the configuration information is displayed in a graphical user interface.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the deployment information is stored in a lightweight directory access protocol database.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the configuration information is displayed in a hierarchical tree.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the virtual machines associated with the workload are displayed at nodes nested in a node for the workload.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further including displaying configuration information for a second plurality of virtual machines associated with a second workload.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the workload identifies respective functions performed by corresponding virtual machines associated with the workload.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an information collector to store deployment information about a deployed virtual machine, including tagging the deployment information associated with the deployed virtual machine with an identification of an associated workload, in a database; and

an inventory user interface generator to retrieve configuration information, including the deployment information from the database and to display, via a processor, the configuration information for the deployed virtual machine including an indication that the deployed virtual machine is associated with other deployed virtual machines that are associated with the workload, the configuration information including a unique identifier for the deployed virtual machine and a network address utilized by the deployed virtual machine.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the inventory user interface generator is to display the configuration information in a graphical user interface.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the information collector is to store the deployment information in a lightweight directory access protocol database.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the inventory user interface generator is to display the configuration information in a hierarchical tree.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the inventory user interface generator is to display the deployed virtual machines associated with the workload at nodes nested in a node for the workload.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the inventory user interface generator is to display configuration information for a second plurality of virtual machines associated with a second workload.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the workload identifies respective functions performed by corresponding virtual machines associated with the workload.

15. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

store deployment information about a deployed virtual machine, including tagging the deployment information associated with the deployed virtual machine with an identification of an associated workload, in a database;

retrieve configuration information, including the deployment information from the database; and

display the configuration information for the deployed virtual machine including an indication that the deployed virtual machine is associated with other deployed virtual machines that are associated with the workload, the configuration information including a unique identifier for the deployed virtual machine and a network address utilized by the deployed virtual machine.

16. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display the configuration information in a graphical user interface.

17. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to store the deployment information in a lightweight directory access protocol database.

18. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display the configuration information in a hierarchical tree.

19. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display virtual machines associated with a workload at nodes nested in a node for the workload.

20. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display configuration information for a second plurality of virtual machines associated with a second workload.

21. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the workload identifies respective functions performed by corresponding virtual machines associated with the workload.