Abstract: A method and system for managing a virtual computing system including an event source configured to send an event to a destination virtual machine (VM) executing a memory monitoring instruction on a designated address range of a host memory. A hypervisor instructs a destination virtual central processing unit (VCPU) associated with the destination VM to execute the memory monitoring instruction to the designated address range of a memory. A physical CPU associated with the designated address range is configured not to perform an exit to the hypervisor in response to execution of the memory monitoring instruction by the destination VCPU. The hypervisor instructs an event source to write data to the designated address range to send an event for performance by the destination VM, wherein the destination VM wakes up and performs the identified event in response to the event source writing to the identified address range.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a virtual computing system including a virtual machine (VM) configured to send an event to a host CPU executing a memory monitoring instruction. The virtual machine is configured to receive from a hypervisor a notification identifying an address range writeable by a virtual central processing unit (VCPU) associated with the virtual machine to send an event to a host central processing unit (CPU). The virtual machine is further configured to receive an instruction to write to the identified address range for sending an event to the host CPU. The VCPU of the virtual machine may then write data identifying an event for execution by the host CPU to the identified address range, without causing an exit to the hypervisor.

Abstract: A system and method for withdrawing virtual processors from virtual machines (VMs) are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor executed by a computer system detects when a measure of system load for a virtual machine falls below a threshold. In response, the hypervisor withdraws a virtual processor from the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for saving crash dump files of a virtual machine (VM) on a designated disk is disclosed. The method includes associating, by a hypervisor that virtualizes a plurality of virtual machines (VMs), each VM of the plurality of VMs with a crash dump disk that is solely dedicated to the VM, wherein each crash dump disk is located separate from its associated VM. The method further includes configuring, by the hypervisor, an OS of each VM with a crash file path to the crash dump disk associated with the VM, and configuring, by the hypervisor, each VM of the plurality of VMs to generate crash dump files for the VM upon a crash event of the VM and store, via the crash file path, the generated crash dump files to the crash dump disk associated with the VM.

Abstract: A system and method for display power management in a virtualized environment are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor that is executed by a first computer system receives a notification that a host operating system of a second computer system has received a command to dim a video display of the second computer system, and forwards the notification to a guest operating system of a virtual machine hosted by the first computer system. The hypervisor receives from the guest operating system a first signal that indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. The hypervisor then transmits a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating additional virtual processors to virtual machines (referred to as “automatic processor hotplug”) are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a guest operating system of a virtual machine detects when a measure of system load exceeds a threshold. In response, the guest operating system transmits a request to a hypervisor for an additional virtual processor for the virtual machine.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining whether to grant requests for additional virtual processors for a virtual machine (referred to as “processor hotplug requests”). In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a request from a guest operating system of a virtual machine, where the request is for an additional virtual processor for the virtual machine. The hypervisor then determines whether or not to grant the request based on a policy.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing multiple receive queues of a networking device of a host machine in a virtual machine system. The networking device includes multiple receive queues that are used to receive packets intended for a guest of the virtual machine system and pass the packets to the intended virtual machine. A hypervisor of the virtual machine system manages the switching from one or more receive queues (i.e., old receive queues) to one or more other receive queues (i.e., new receive queues) by managing the provisioning of packets from the receive queues to one or more virtual machines in the virtual machine system.

Abstract: A mechanism for optimal placement of VMs based on shared images is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes identifying a virtual machine (VM) image of a new VM to be placed by a host controller on one of a plurality of candidate host machines, for each candidate host machine of the plurality of candidate host machines, identifying a VM image for each VM hosted by the candidate host machine, and determining the candidate host with the most VMs having identical VM images to the new VM.

Abstract: A mechanism for optimizing initial placement of virtual machines (VMs) to reduce memory consumption based on similar characteristics is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes identifying characteristics of a new virtual machine (VM) to be placed by a host controller on one of a plurality of candidate host machines and, for each candidate host machine of the plurality of candidate host machines, communicating with one or more VM agents each associated with a VM of one or more VMs hosted by the candidate host machine to identify characteristics of the one or more VMs. The method further includes identifying the candidate host with the most VMs having similar characteristics to the new VM.

Abstract: A mechanism for a manager and host-based integrated power saving policy in virtualization systems is disclosed. A method of the invention includes receiving configuration and power information of a host machine from a management agent on the host machine, performing a macro-level power saving scheduling algorithm that takes into consideration the received configuration and power information of the host machine, and requesting that the host machine alter a number of active running CPU cores as part of the macro-level power saving scheduling algorithm.

Abstract: A mechanism for downloading hypervisor updates using existing virtual machine (VM)-to-host channels is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes receiving one or more updates to the hypervisor from the VM via a hypervisor update component, verifying that the one or more received updates are valid, and installing the one or more received updates if the one or more received updates are valid.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for creating a virtual machine template from a live virtual machine. In accordance with one embodiment, a computer system creates a live snapshot of a virtual machine, and creates a clone of the virtual machine based on the live snapshot. The computer system then initiates execution of the clone, shuts down the clone, and creates a virtual machine template based on the clone, where the virtual machine template enables the creation of another virtual machine that corresponds to the live snapshot of the original virtual machine.

Abstract: A system and method for display power management in a virtualized environment are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a notification that a host operating system has received a command to dim a display, and forwards the notification to a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine. The hypervisor receives from the guest operating system a first signal that indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. The hypervisor then transmits a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting secure data from virtual machine clones are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a message from a guest operating system hosted by a first virtual machine, where the message identifies a memory location (e.g., of main memory, of a storage device, etc.) for a secure datum. After the hypervisor receives a direct-copy command to clone the first virtual machine, the hypervisor creates a second virtual machine via direct copy, where the second virtual machine is not provided access to the secure memory location during its creation.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for preventing concurrent access by a virtual machine and a clone of the virtual machine to a resource in a non-shareable state. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a command to clone a virtual machine, and determines whether any resource used by the virtual machine is in a non-shareable state (e.g., the virtual machine holds a lock on a resource, a resource comprises memory that stores secure data, etc.). When any resource used by the virtual machine is in a non-shareable state, the hypervisor delays cloning of the virtual machine until all resources used by the virtual machine are in a shareable state.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting secure data from virtual machine clones are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor transmits a message to a guest operating system hosted by a first virtual machine, where the message identifies a memory location for a secure datum. After the transmission of the message, when the hypervisor receives a direct-copy command to clone the first virtual machine, the hypervisor creates a second virtual machine via direct copy, where the second virtual machine is not provided access to the secure memory location during its creation.

Abstract: A system and method for handling requests by virtual machines (VMs) to lock portions of main memory are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a host operating system (OS) of a computer system receives a request by the guest OS of a VM to lock a portion of main memory of the computer system. The host OS determines whether locking the portion of main memory violates any of a set of constraints pertaining to main memory. The host OS locks the portion of main memory when locking does not violate any of the set of constraints. The locking prevents any page of the portion of main memory from being swapped out to a storage device. The host OS can still swap out pages of main memory that are not allocated to this VM and are not locked by any other VM.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically aligning the location of a write request of a guest operating system (OS) to a storage boundary of a computer system that hosts the guest OS. The computer system detects an indication of misalignment between a partition of the guest OS and a storage boundary in data storage. In response to the indication, the computer system shifts the partition by a number of bytes to align a starting location of the partition to the storage boundary, and shift locations of subsequent data access requests of the guest OS by the same number of bytes.

Abstract: A system and method for hibernating virtual machines (VMs) are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a computer system that executes a hypervisor and a virtual machine (VM) receives a request from a first virtual processor of the VM to put the VM to sleep. In response, the hypervisor stops a second virtual processor of the VM.