Abstract: Embodiments perform centralized input/output (I/O) path selection for hosts accessing storage devices in distributed resource sharing environments. The path selection accommodates loads along the paths through the fabric and at the storage devices. Topology changes may also be identified and automatically initiated. Some embodiments contemplate the hosts executing a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) accessing logical unit numbers (LUNs) in a storage area network (SAN).

Abstract: A method of determining compatibility of a virtual machine or virtual machine disk file with a host, including a storage host, is disclosed. A lookup matrix is created to provide a fast compatibility lookup. To create the lookup matrix, computing object properties are retrieved from each of the plurality of computing objects. The computing object properties include resource requirements of each of the plurality of computing objects. Further, host properties are retrieved from each of the plurality of hosts. The method further includes creating host logical groups of a subset of the plurality of hosts having substantially same host properties and creating a plurality of computing object logical groups of a subject of the plurality of computing objects having substantially same computing object properties. The lookup matrix answers whether each member of a selected computing object logical group can be transferred to a selected host logical group.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking changes and performing backups to a storage device are provided. For virtual disks of a virtual machine, changes are tracked from outside the virtual machine in the kernel of a virtualization layer. The changes can be tracked in a lightweight fashion with a bitmap, with a finer granularity stored and tracked at intermittent intervals in persistent storage. Multiple backup applications can be allowed to accurately and efficiently backup a storage device. Each backup application can determine which block of the storage device has been updated since the last backup of a respective application. This change log is efficiently stored as a counter value for each block, where the counter is incremented when a backup is performed. The change log can be maintained with little impact on I/O by using a coarse bitmap to update the finer grained change log.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for managing groups of entities, such as individuals, employees, or systems, and providing entitlement and access to computer resources based on group membership are provided. Example embodiments provide a Group Management System having a Group Management Engine “GME,” an Entitlement Engine, and a Provisioning Engine, which work together to allow simplified grouping of entities and providing entitlement and access to the entities based upon the group membership. In one embodiment, the GME leverages dynamic programming techniques to enable accurate, scalable systems that can manage near real time updates and changes to the group's status or to the entities' status. These components cooperate to enable provisioning of applications based upon current entitlement.

Abstract: A graphical user interface to provision business environments on mobile devices presents a navigation panel that displays a virtual phone template menu item and a policy setting menu item. Upon selection of the virtual phone template menu item, a template user interface is presented that enables an administrator to customize virtual phone image templates for users to be delivered to mobile devices that are configured to run the virtual phone image templates as virtual machines on the mobile devices in order to provide a business environment. Upon selection of the policy setting menu item, a policy user interface is presented that enables the administrator to set security policies, wherein each of the security policies specifies a time interval within which a mobile device running a virtual machine corresponding to one of the virtual phone image templates should communicate with an enterprise server to comply with the security policy.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs for managing memory in a host where virtual machines (VMs) execute are presented. In one embodiment, a method includes an operation for determining which amount of heap memory has been reserved in a Java virtual machine (JVM) that is in excess of the heap memory needed by the JVM. If there is excess heap memory, a Java balloon agent reserves a Java object in the heap memory. Typically, the Java object will be the size of one or more memory pages in the host. Further, the Java balloon agent loads the Java object with a certain value, for example, by zeroing out the page of memory. When a virtual machine monitor (VMM) in the host detects that a machine physical memory page associated with the Java object has the first value, then the VMM frees the machine physical memory page to make the memory available to other VMs or to other processes executing in the host.

Abstract: In a method of updating software on a dormant disk, exposed files are accessed. The exposed files are exposed by mounting the dormant disk. The exposed files are scanned to determine the status of software residing on the dormant disk. The scanning is achieved without requiring booting of the dormant disk. It is determined whether an update is available for the software residing on the dormant disk.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically allocating space in a flash storage-based cache are provided. In one embodiment, a computer system collects I/O trace logs for a plurality of virtual machines or a plurality of virtual disks and determines cache utility models for the plurality of virtual machines or the plurality of virtual disks based on the I/O trace logs. The cache utility model for each virtual machine or each virtual disk defines an expected utility of allocating space in the flash storage-based cache to the virtual machine or the virtual disk over a range of different cache allocation sizes. The computer system then calculates target cache allocation sizes for the plurality of virtual machines or the plurality of virtual disks based on the cache utility models and allocates space in the flash storage-based cache based on the target cache allocation sizes.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for configuring virtual internal networks for testing is provided, such that affects of testing are internally isolated. The method includes deploying a virtual firewall and deploying a public switch enabling access to an external local area network through a first interface of the virtual firewall. A private switch enabling access to a plurality of virtual machines through a second interface of the virtual firewall is provided. The plurality of virtual machines defines a private network behind the firewall. A network address is assigned to the virtual firewall and a private address is assigned to each of the virtual machines. The plurality of virtual machines is then tested through a test launcher in communication with the public switch.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes a method of making a bootable image for a computer, wherein the bootable image corresponds to a first virtual machine but is bootable on a target machine, the method comprising: (a) instantiating the first virtual machine within a virtualization system and executing computations thereof, the computations operating upon an encapsulation of virtual machine state for the instantiated virtual machine; and (b) introducing into the encapsulation, a boot loader that defines at least one transformation to be performed on the encapsulation to allow the target machine to boot from the virtual machine state.

Abstract: The storage system exports logical storage volumes that are provisioned as storage objects. These storage objects are accessed on demand by connected computer systems using standard protocols, such as SCSI and NFS, through logical endpoints for the protocol traffic that are configured in the storage system. To facilitate creation and management of logical storage volumes, special application programming interfaces (APIs) have been developed. The special APIs include commands to create a logical storage volume, bind, unbind, and rebind the logical storage volume, extend the size of the logical storage volume, clone the logical storage volume, and move the logical storage volume.

Abstract: Embodiments include a local cache management system that is configured to be coupled to a local cache and that includes an index engine configured to store fingerprints of message segments stored in the local cache and a redundancy management engine coupled to the index engine. The redundancy management engine includes an adaptive emitter configured to receive a message segment to be transmitted to a remote device, determine expected latency costs of a plurality of transmission algorithms, and select a transmission algorithm, such as by selecting the lowest expected latency cost. The adaptive emitter is also configured to determine whether the message segment is stored within a remote cache management system associated with the remote device, and transmit the message segment through a network to the remote cache management system using the selected transmission algorithm upon a determination that the message segment is not stored within the remote cache management system.

Abstract: Input from a keyboard of a computing device may include displaying a character associated with a key depending on whether the user single-tapped or double-tapped the key. A single touch on the key may cause the computing device to display an initial character that is associated with the key. A double touch on the key may cause the computing device to display an alternate character that is associated with the key.

Abstract: In a method of binding a software item to a plain English name, a user input of a plain English control name is received into a test file. A user interface under test is automatically searched for a control corresponding to the plain English control name. The corresponding control in the software item under test is automatically bound to the plain English control name.

Abstract: A method of creating computing environment in a cloud computing environment for execution of a test is disclosed. The method includes loading a setup script from a script store. The loading is performed by a test manager that is in communication with the script store. The test manager checks if there are more setup scripts to be loaded. If yes, the remaining setup scripts are loaded by the test manager. The test manager then calculates computing resources needed to run all tests as coded in all loaded scripts. The test manager then attempts to reserve needed computing resources in a virtual data center using a data center infrastructure manager.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for providing exclusive access to a virtual private network (VPN) connection to an authorized application. During operation, the system creates a unique network namespace that is different from a default network namespace of a host system. The system then places a pseudo network interface associated with the VPN connection into the unique network namespace. Furthermore, the system places at least one socket for an authorized application into the unique network namespace. The system also precludes unauthorized applications on the host from accessing the unique network namespace, thereby facilitating exclusive access to the VPN connection by the authorized application.

Abstract: Memory of a database management system (DBMS) that is running in a virtual machine is managed using techniques that integrate DBMS memory management with virtual machine memory management. Because of the integration, the effectiveness of DBMS memory management is preserved even though the physical memory allocated to the virtual machine may change during runtime as a result of varying memory demands of other applications, e.g., instances of other virtual machines, running on the same host computer as the virtual machine.

Abstract: One or more unused bits of a virtual address range are allocated for aliasing so that multiple virtually addressed sub-pages can be mapped to a common memory page. When one bit is allocated for aliasing, dirty bit information can be provided at a granularity that is one-half of a memory page. When M bits are allocated for aliasing, dirty bit information can be provided at a granularity that is 1/(2M)-th of a memory page.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems configure a first set of ports of a host device to be included within a link aggregation group (LAG) with a switch coupled to the first set of one or more ports. A second set of one or more ports of a second host device is also included within the LAG. The configuration of the LAG includes the switch performing load balancing between ports within the LAG. The first host device receives, via the LAG, a packet to be processed by a service implemented by each of one or more virtual machines running on the first host device. The first host device receives the packet as a result of the switch selecting a port within the first and second sets of ports based upon the load balancing between uplinks to the ports within the LAG.

Abstract: Techniques for preventing unauthorized access to a server system using stolen passwords are provided. In one embodiment, the server system can store an ordered set of hash values for a user, where each hash value in the ordered set of hash values is generated by applying a hash function in an ordered set of hash functions to the user's password. The server system can further receive, from a client device, a login request for the user that includes a hashed version of the password, and can select a hash value in the ordered set of hash values using a server-side index that is synchronized with a client-side index on the client device. The server system can then grant the login request if the selected hash value matches the hashed version of the password.