Abstract: Selecting a master node in a group of computing nodes. Computing nodes exchange suitability messages, candidate messages, and master messages to indicate the state of each node. A deterministic algorithm based on scores and timings is executed by each computing node to encourage each node to select the same master node.

Abstract: A manager program for managing virtual machines includes a process which receives a notification message indicating an occurrence of an event affecting a data storage unit in a data storage system that supports a shared file system. The notification message might have come from a virtual machine host or resulted from a hardware reconfiguration. The manager program then determines whether another virtual machine host is sharing the data storage unit. The manager program might make this determination by polling each of the virtual machine hosts it manages or by checking information previously collected and stored in a database. If another virtual machine host is sharing the data storage unit, the manager program sends a refresh message to that virtual machine host that causes the virtual machine host to update information relating to the data storage unit in a cache associated with the virtual machine host.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a system including: (a) plural virtualization systems configured in a cluster; (b) storage accessible to each virtualization system of the cluster, wherein for each virtual machine operative in a virtualization system of the cluster, the storage maintains a representation of virtual machine state that includes at least a description of a hardware system virtualized and an image of virtualized memory state for the virtual machine; and (c) a failover system that, responsive to an interruption of, or on, a particular one of the virtualization systems, transitions at least one affected virtual machine to another virtualization system of the cluster and resumes computations of the transitioned virtual machine based on state encoded by a corresponding one of the virtual machine states represented in the storage.

Abstract: Documentation for an application or web service, such as a web application programming interface (API), is generated by analyzing bytecode for the application itself. Metadata contained within the bytecode and that specifies the functionality of the web service is extracted and used as a template and basis for documentation. A second source of documentation, which contains detailed documentation of the web service, is contributed by the web service developer and merged with the metadata extracted from the bytecode.

Abstract: Systems and methods of executing and/or provisioning an application in an application specific runtime environment or general runtime environment are disclosed. The application specific runtime environment or general runtime environment are optionally defined by an application environment specification to include a minimal or reduced set of software resources required for execution of the application. These software resources are optionally stored in a resource repository that includes resources associated with a plurality of operating systems and/or executable applications. Various embodiments of the invention include the development of hierarchical resource metadata configured to characterize the various files, packages and file families included in the resource repository. In some embodiments this metadata is used to select between files when provisioning an application specific runtime environment.

Abstract: Embodiments present a virtual disk image to applications such as virtual machines (VMs) executing on a computing device. The virtual disk image corresponds to one or more subparts of binary large objects (blobs) of data stored by a cloud service, and is implemented in a log structured format. Grains of the virtual disk image are cached by the computing device. The computing device caches only a subset of the grains and performs write operations without blocking the applications to reduce storage latency perceived by the applications. Some embodiments enable the applications that lack enterprise class storage to benefit from enterprise class cloud storage services.

Abstract: Methods and systems configured to interact with hardware components of a computer system are described. In some embodiments, the system includes a processor and a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions for generating, by a software module executing on the system, an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) request configured for a controller of the computer system; transmitting, by the software module, the IPMI request to a server separate from the computer system, wherein the server is configured to emulate the controller of the computer system; and receiving, by the software module, an IPMI response from the server, wherein the IPMI response is based on a simulated operating condition of a hardware component of the computer system at the server, thereby obviating a manual adjustment of the hardware component on the computer system.

Abstract: A source virtual machine (VM) hosted on a source server is migrated to a destination VM on a destination server without first powering down the source VM. After optional pre-copying of the source VM's memory to the destination VM, the source VM is suspended and its non-memory state is transferred to the destination VM; the destination VM is then resumed from the transferred state. The source VM memory is either paged into the destination VM on demand, or is transferred asynchronously by pre-copying and write-protecting the source VM memory, and then later transferring only the modified pages after the destination VM is resumed. The source and destination servers preferably share common storage, in which the source VM's virtual disk is stored; this avoids the need to transfer the virtual disk contents.

Abstract: Methods, techniques, and systems for user interface remoting using video streaming techniques are provided. Example embodiments provide User Interface Remoting and Optimization System (“UIROS”), which enables the efficient remoting of pixel-oriented user interfaces on behalf of their guests using generic video streaming techniques, such as H.264, to send compressed user interface image information in the form of video frame encoded bitstreams. In one embodiment, the UIROS comprises server side support including a UI remoting server, a video encoder, and rendering support and client side support including a UI remoting client, a video decoder, and a display. These components cooperate to implement optimized UI remoting that is bandwidth efficient, low latency and CPU efficient.

Abstract: A system that includes a memory and processor is provided. The processor is programmed to receive input data, determine that the input data is tainted, store the tainted input data in a location in the memory, and based on storing the tainted input data in the location, label the location as a tainted location. The processor is further programmed to assign a triggering event to the tainted location such that an action is initiated when the triggering event has occurred.

Abstract: Techniques for resource allocation are described. Some embodiments provide a resource allocation manager configured to dynamically allocate physical computing resources amongst multiple virtual machines hosted on a physical computing system. The resource allocation manager receives information about the importance of activities that can occur on the multiple virtual machines. Activities may include or be based on virtual machine states, virtual desktop states, business activities or processes performed by users, or the like. Then, the resource allocation manager determines that an activity is occurring on one of the virtual machines. In response, the resource allocation manager reallocates physical computing resources of the physical computing system that are assigned or available to the one virtual machine, based on the occurring activity and its corresponding importance.

Abstract: A method for performing I/O operations on a file stored in a file system utilizing a shared data storage system and accessible by a plurality of host computers is disclosed. A host computer receives from a process executing on it, a request to read data stored in the file. The host computer then requests the data stored in the file without acquiring a lock from the file system. The host computer also maintains a timeout value associated with the file while reading the data. The host computer receives at least a portion of the data prior to an expiration of time, and if all the data has not been received before the expiration of time, it then assesses whether another of the host computers has acquired a lock on the file, and, if so, invalidates the received data without providing it to the requesting process.

Abstract: Methods, techniques, and systems for user interface remoting using video streaming techniques are provided. Example embodiments provide User Interface Remoting and Optimization System (“UIROS”), which enables the efficient remoting of user interfaces on behalf of their guests using generic video streaming techniques, such as H.264, to send compressed user interface image information in the form of video frame encoded bitstreams. With application cooperation, pixels are explicitly cached on the server using lookahead methods to lower latency in remoting the user interface for certain operations. In one embodiment, the UIROS comprises server side support including a UI remoting server, a video encoder, and rendering support and client side support including a UI remoting client, a video decoder, and a display. These components cooperate to implement optimized UI remoting that is bandwidth efficient, low latency and CPU efficient.

Abstract: A server-based desktop-virtual machines architecture may be extended to a client machine. In one embodiment, a user desktop is remotely accessed from a client system. The remote desktop is generated by a first virtual machine running on a server system, which may comprise one or more server computers. During execution of the first virtual machine, writes to a corresponding virtual disk are directed to a delta disk file or redo log. A copy of the virtual disk is created on the client system. When a user decides to “check out” his or her desktop, the first virtual machine is terminated (if it is running) and a copy of the delta disk is created on the client system. Once the delta disk is present on the client system, a second virtual machine can be started on the client system using the virtual disk and delta disk to provide local access to the user's desktop at the client system. This allows the user to then access his or her desktop without being connected to a network.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for desktop streaming over wide area networks. In one embodiment, a computer comprises logic stored in one or more storage media. The logic is configured to receive a first request for a desktop image comprising a collection of files, and to segment the desktop image into a prefetch set, a streaming set, and a leave-behind set. The prefetch set includes a smallest subset of files, in the collection of files, that is needed for a boot up without requiring retrieval of additional files. The streaming set includes those files, in the collection of files, that are to be sent after the boot up. The leave-behind set includes those files, in the collection of files, that are to be sent when specifically requested. In response to the first request, the logic is configured to send the prefetch set to a computing device.

Abstract: A method of acquiring a lock by a node, on a shared resource in a system of a plurality of interconnected nodes, is disclosed. Each node that competes for a lock on the shared resource maintains a list of locks currently owned by the node. A lock metadata is maintained on a shared storage that is accessible to all nodes that may compete for locks on shared resources. A heartbeat region is maintained on a shared resource corresponding to each node so nodes can register their liveness. A lock state is maintained in the lock metadata in the shared storage. A lock state may indicate lock held exclusively, lock free or lock in managed mode. If the lock is held in the managed mode, the ownership of the lock can be transferred to another node without a use of a mutual exclusion primitive such as the SCSI reservation.

Abstract: Techniques for remote application access are described. Some embodiments provide access to an application executing on a host system via a Web browser of a client device. A user operating the Web browser may request access to the application via a uniform resource identifier. A service executing on the host system receives the request and facilitates access to the application. Facilitating access may include transmitting to the Web browser image data corresponding to a window or graphical user interface generated by the application and stored on the host system. Client logic executing within the Web browser receives the image data and displays a local copy of the application window on the client device. The client logic also forwards user input events made with respect to the to the local window to the remote presentation service, which in turn forwards the events to the window/application on the host system.

Abstract: MAC addresses are flexibly and dynamically allocated across groups of devices that need MAC addresses. MAC address pools are defined for the groups by non-overlapping ranges of MAC addresses. The range of MAC addresses defined for any pool may be shrunk to support an expansion of the range of MAC addresses of another pool. The maximum number of universally-administered MAC addresses that can be defined for any MAC address pool is greater than 216, and the maximum number of locally-administered MAC addresses that can be defined for any MAC address pool is greater than 238.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method attempts, by a computing device, to determine a placement of a set of virtual machines on available hosts upon failure of a host. The placement considers the set of virtual machines as being not powered on any of the available hosts. The method further determines, by the computing device, a placed list of virtual machines in the set of virtual machines as a recommendation to power on to the available hosts. The determination of the placed list of virtual machines is used to determine a power off list of virtual machines in the set of virtual machines to power off, wherein virtual machines in the power off list of virtual machines are currently powered on available hosts but were considered to be powered off to determine the placement.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically learning and identifying web applications. The method discovers and identifies transactions, web applications, their modules, interfaces, and relationship between the modules. The method further includes dynamically creating application definers is provided.