Abstract: Access to virtual machine inputs and outputs are controlled. Controlling access to virtual machine inputs and outputs may comprise locking inputs and outputs of a virtual machine from within the virtual machine, other than a predefined limited access input, detecting a request to unlock the inputs and outputs of the virtual machine; determining if a requester is authorized to unlock the inputs and outputs of the virtual machine and unlocking, temporarily, the inputs and outputs of the virtual machine if the requester is authorized. The predefined limited access input is configured to receive an input device with a private secret for unlocking the inputs and outputs of the virtual machine. The inputs and outputs are unlocked when an input device having a shared password is attached.

Abstract: A virtual machine console is recorded. A method for monitoring a virtual machine may comprise monitoring a virtualization environment, detecting a new virtual machine and associated console, creating an additional instantiation of the console by generating a reflection of the console on a video capture device and recording a real time video of an image of the additional instantiation of the console on the video capture device. Prior to recording, the image may be analyzed to determine a change and the recording of the image can be triggered based upon the analysis.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling access to virtual machine consoles. The system includes a console access controller configured to register an owner to a virtual machine to open a defined limit of consoles and capture the defined limit of consoles. An image console control is configured to receive a request to check-out one or more of the captured consoles in one of an exclusive mode and a shared mode and determine whether the check-out request was made by the owner. The console access controller is further configured to open the one or more captured consoles in the exclusive mode to the owner if the check-out request is made by the owner and recapturing the one ore more consoles in response to a check-in request from the owner.