Abstract: A computer-implemented method or system is provided to automate actions for one or more applications executed via a platform using at least one virtual machine in a guest system. Each virtual machine includes a guest operating system, a guest agent and an application to be executed on the virtual machine. The method or system stores in a memory user-defined automation actions and causal relationships between the user-defined automation actions from which an automation graph is derived for the application to be executed on the virtual machine on the guest system; launches the guest system and the virtual machine via the platform; and executes the user-defined automation actions via the guest agent of the virtual machine according to the automation graph after the guest system and the virtual machine are launched.

Abstract: Virtual machine storage and runtime provisioning comprises accessing a base generalized reusable virtual machine image and configuring memory according to an instantiated copy of the base virtual machine image. Project specific content is accessed from a central content store configured to store content separately from the base machine image. The instantiated machine image and project specific content are linked at launch time to form a project specific functioning virtual machine. After completion of the project specific function, the project specific content is stored separately and the project specific functioning virtual machine is removed from memory. This minimizes use of virtual machine instances to only when needed and makes content available to other users.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method or system is provided to automate actions for one or more applications executed via a platform using at least one virtual machine in a guest system. Each virtual machine includes a guest operating system, a guest agent and an application to be executed on the virtual machine. The method or system stores in a memory user-defined automation actions and causal relationships between the user-defined automation actions from which an automation graph is derived for the application to be executed on the virtual machine on the guest system; launches the guest system and the virtual machine via the platform; and executes the user-defined automation actions via the guest agent of the virtual machine according to the automation graph after the guest system and the virtual machine are launched.

Abstract: A system manages machine images on a plurality of distributed servers over a network. A service processor generates installation instructions for building a machine image on a remote server, the machine image comprising a component, the installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access the component from a source of the component. A reactive management processor is coupled to the service processor, accesses the source of the component, to detect whether an update of the component exists, and to notify the service processor of existence of the detected update. The service processor generates revised installation instructions for rebuilding a revised machine image on the remote server in response to the notification of the update from the reactive management processor. The service processor transmits a global rebuild command and the revised installation instructions for rebuilding the revised machine image.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method or system is provided to automate actions for one or more applications executed via a platform using at least one virtual machine in a guest system. Each virtual machine includes a guest operating system, a guest agent and an application to be executed on the virtual machine. The method or system stores in a memory user-defined automation actions and causal relationships between the user-defined automation actions from which an automation graph is derived for the application to be executed on the virtual machine on the guest system; launches the guest system and the virtual machine via the platform; and executes the user-defined automation actions via the guest agent of the virtual machine according to the automation graph after the guest system and the virtual machine are launched.

Abstract: Virtual machine storage and runtime provisioning comprises accessing a base generalized reusable virtual machine image and configuring memory according to an instantiated copy of the base virtual machine image. Project specific content is accessed from a central content store configured to store content separately from the base machine image. The instantiated machine image and project specific content are linked at launch time to form a project specific functioning virtual machine. After completion of the project specific function, the project specific content is stored separately and the project specific functioning virtual machine is removed from memory. This minimizes use of virtual machine instances to only when needed and makes content available to other users.

Abstract: A system manages machine images on a plurality of distributed servers over a network. A service processor generates installation instructions for building a machine image on a remote server, the machine image comprising a component, the installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access the component from a source of the component. A reactive management processor is coupled to the service processor, accesses the source of the component, to detect whether an update of the component exists, and to notify the service processor of existence of the detected update. The service processor generates revised installation instructions for rebuilding a revised machine image on the remote server in response to the notification of the update from the reactive management processor. The service processor transmits a global rebuild command and the revised installation instructions for rebuilding the revised machine image.