Abstract: Several different embodiments of a flexible virtual machine management system are described. The virtual machine management system is used to instantiate, wake, move, sleep, and destroy individual operating environments in a cloud or cluster. In various embodiments, the virtual machine management system uses single messages to perform complex operations, allowing for flexible and scalable use of virtual resources in a cluster while still reducing energy consumption to the minimum possible level. In one preferred embodiment, Wake-on-LAN packets are used as the messages.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for distributed tracing in a distributed application. In one embodiment, a method includes observing a plurality of messages sent and received among components of the distributed application, generating a probabilistic model of a call flow from observed messages of the distributed system, and constructing a call flow graph based on the probabilistic model for the distributed application. Distributed tracing may include observing messages by performing the subscription-based observation techniques and operations to receive, message traces describing messages being communicated among components of the distributed application. In this regard, the tracing service may merge message traces from different instrumentation points with message traces obtained by observing message queues to generate a probabilistic model and call flow graph.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cloud computing system provides user extensibility by providing a plugin interface for major systems. Plugin interfaces for a compute service, object service, network service, authentication and authorization service, message service, and image service are disclosed. One or more of the plugin interfaces can be used to alter the allocation of virtual to physical resources across multiple services. Compound services and smart allocation facilities are possible with user-directed modification.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for distributed tracing in a distributed application. In one embodiment, a method includes observing a plurality of messages sent and received among components of the distributed application, generating a probabilistic model of a call flow from observed messages of the distributed system, and constructing a call flow graph based on the probabilistic model for the distributed application. Distributed tracing may include observing messages by performing the subscription-based observation techniques and operations to receive, message traces describing messages being communicated among components of the distributed application. In this regard, the tracing service may merge message traces from different instrumentation points with message traces obtained by observing message queues to generate a probabilistic model and call flow graph.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is a method for configuring a virtual machine where there are two storage mechanisms available to the virtual machine: a first storage containing virtual machine operating information, and a second storage including virtual machine configuration information. The configuration information in the second storage is used to configure the virtual machine, including changing the information in the operating storage. The configuration information can pertain to the hypervisor, any logical container within the hypervisor, and any operating environment within on of the logical containers. In a further embodiment, the configuration information from the second storage can be saved and provided to another virtual machine, and used to configure the second virtual machine in a similar fashion. Each virtual machine can have an independent copy of the second storage, or the storage can be mounted in the first machine, unmounted, and then mounted in the second machine.

Abstract: A cloud computing system configured to run virtual machine instances is disclosed. The cloud computing system assigns an identity to each virtual machine instance. When the virtual machine instance accesses initial configuration resources, it provides this identity to the resources to authenticate itself. This allows for flexible and extensible initial configuration of virtual machine instances.

Abstract: A cloud computing system configured to run virtual machine instances is disclosed. The cloud computing system assigns an identity to each virtual machine instance. When the virtual machine instance accesses initial configuration resources, it provides this identity to the resources to authenticate itself. This allows for flexible and extensible initial configuration of virtual machine instances.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is a method for configuring a virtual machine where there are two storage mechanisms available to the virtual machine: a first storage containing virtual machine operating information, and a second storage including virtual machine configuration information. The configuration information in the second storage is used to configure the virtual machine, including changing the information in the operating storage. The configuration information can pertain to the hypervisor, any logical container within the hypervisor, and any operating environment within on of the logical containers. In a further embodiment, the configuration information from the second storage can be saved and provided to another virtual machine, and used to configure the second virtual machine in a similar fashion. Each virtual machine can have an independent copy of the second storage, or the storage can be mounted in the first machine, unmounted, and then mounted in the second machine.

Abstract: A cloud computing system configured to run virtual machine instances is disclosed. The cloud computing system assigns an identity to each virtual machine instance. When the virtual machine instance accesses initial configuration resources, it provides this identity to the resources to authenticate itself. This allows for flexible and extensible initial configuration of virtual machine instances.

Abstract: A cloud computing system including an image server is disclosed. The image server comprises an endpoint communicatively coupled to a data store, a peer-to-peer endpoint, and a peer-to-peer client. The peer-to-peer endpoint is configured to receive a request for a portion of a data file from a requestor. The image server is configured to determine a location of the portion of the data file within the data store and retrieve the portion of the data file from the data store in response to the request for the portion, and the peer-to-peer client is configured to provide the retrieved portion of the data file to the requestor via the peer-to-peer endpoint. In some examples, the requested data file includes a system image.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for distributed tracing in a distributed application. In one embodiment, a method includes observing a plurality of messages sent and received among components of the distributed application, generating a probabilistic model of a call flow from observed messages of the distributed system, and constructing a call flow graph based on the probabilistic model for the distributed application. Distributed tracing may include observing messages by performing the subscription-based observation techniques and operations to receive, message traces describing messages being communicated among components of the distributed application. In this regard, the tracing service may merge message traces from different instrumentation points with message traces obtained by observing message queues to generate a probabilistic model and call flow graph.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for generating a billing feed for a distributed network system and reselling resources of the distributed network system. In one embodiment, a method includes observing a plurality of messages sent and received among components of the distributed network system, generating a call flow graph based on the plurality of messages of the distributed network system, and outputting a billing feed for the distributed network based on the call flow graph, to provide a billing feed including one or more billable events. billable events may be are based on one or more of received requests, underlying resource usage, time of usage, scope of usage. In this regard, the system may provide for one or more models of reselling resources of a distributed network system.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for function-specific tracing of a program. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a trace profile identifying one or more functions of a target program, wherein the trace profile identifies one or more functions to trace and depth of tracing for each function to be traced, loading the trace profile and the target program, identifying traced functions in the target program based on the trace profile, patching the target program to call a trace parameter for one or more functions, wherein traced functions are declared at runtime, and observing function calls for traced functions of the application. In this regard, individual functions are traced and debugged on a function-by-function basis without modifying the code or pre-arranging functions so they are traceable. As such, the scope of tracing may be dynamically limited to yield only information that is desired.

Abstract: A cloud computing system includes a physical resource pool that includes a number of information processing devices. Each information processing device includes a processor, a computer-readable medium, and a network interface. The system further includes a first cloud controller to manage a first cloud infrastructure, the first cloud infrastructure operating a first set of virtualized resources, the first set of virtualized resources having access to the physical resource pool through the first cloud controller. The system further includes a second cloud controller to manage a second cloud infrastructure, the second cloud infrastructure utilizing the first set of virtual resources to operate a second set of virtual resources, the second set of virtual resources being provided access to the physical resource pool through the second cloud controller and the first cloud controller.

Abstract: A virtual machine management system is used to instantiate, wake, move, sleep, and destroy individual operating environments in a cloud or cluster. In various embodiments, there is a method and system for transferring an operating environment from a first host to a second host. The first host contains an active environment, with a disk and memory. The disk is snapshotted while the operating environment on the first host is still live, and the snapshot is transferred to the second host. After the initial snapshot is transferred, a differential update using rsync or a similar mechanism can be used to transfer just the changes from the snapshot from the first to the second host. In a further embodiment, the contents of the memory are also transferred. This memory can be transferred as a snapshot after pausing the active environment, or by synchronizing the memory spaces between the two hosts.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cloud computing system provides user extensibility by providing a plugin interface for major systems. Plugin interfaces for a compute service, object service, network service, authentication and authorization service, message service, and image service are disclosed. One or more of the plugin interfaces can be used to alter the allocation of virtual to physical resources across multiple services. Compound services and smart allocation facilities are possible with user-directed modification.

Abstract: Several different embodiments of a flexible virtual machine management system are described. The virtual machine management system is used to instantiate, wake, move, sleep, and destroy individual operating environments in a cloud or cluster. In various embodiments, the virtual machine management system uses single messages to perform complex operations, allowing for flexible and scalable use of virtual resources in a cluster while still reducing energy consumption to the minimum possible level. In one preferred embodiment, Wake-on-LAN packets are used as the messages.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is a method for configuring a virtual machine where there are two storage mechanisms available to the virtual machine: a first storage containing virtual machine operating information, and a second storage including virtual machine configuration information. The configuration information in the second storage is used to configure the virtual machine, including changing the information in the operating storage. The configuration information can pertain to the hypervisor, any logical container within the hypervisor, and any operating environment within on of the logical containers. In a further embodiment, the configuration information from the second storage can be saved and provided to another virtual machine, and used to configure the second virtual machine in a similar fashion. Each virtual machine can have an independent copy of the second storage, or the storage can be mounted in the first machine, unmounted, and then mounted in the second machine.

Abstract: An earring having a body including an outer ornamental face and spring means for resiliently clamping the body on the lobe of the wearer's ear. The spring is longitudinally oriented in generally parallel disposition to a elongated earring similarly configured body and is disposed in opposition to the inner surface of the body so as to in cooperation therewith form a pocket for the receipt of the wearer's ear lobe. The spring generally bridges opposed ends of the body and terminates at one end in an enlarged head to form a narrowed entrance to the pocket. The spring is preferably of helical construction in exhibiting a plurality of individual coils which enables the enlarged head portion thereof to assume a plurality of positions with respect to the inner surface of the body.