Abstract: A conversion system for converting a source disk image supporting a first hardware configuration into a target disk image supporting a second and different hardware configuration. The conversion system includes a first server that mounts the source disk image as a target disk drive, a repository that stores information and files useful for supporting the second hardware configuration, a rules library that facilitates conversion of hardware specific attributes in accordance with an external introspection process (EIP), and a conversion engine executed on the first server and interfaced with the repository and the rules library. The conversion engine performs the EIP by examining the source disk image on the target disk drive to determine modifications to convert to the target disk image.

Abstract: A computer system of a federation coupled to a network including a server having an internal address associated with a first subnet and a network abstraction and isolation layer rules-based federation and masquerading (NAIL RBFM) interface that interfaces the server with the network. The NAIL RBFM interface transforms the internal address between the first subnet and a second subnet for intra-federation communications. The NAIL RBFM interface performs transform and inverse transform operations to convert between internal and external addresses of intra-federation network traffic. The operations may be performed on source and destination addresses, and may be configured in any of several manners, such as modifying at least one bit of an address, replacing at least one octet of an IP address, substituting a prefix of an address, replacing an entire address, etc.

Abstract: A virtualized logical server cloud that enables logical servers to exist independent of physical servers that instantiate the logical servers. Servers are treated as logical resources in order to create a logical server cloud. The logical attributes of a logical server are non-deterministically allocated to physical resources creating a cloud of logical servers over the physical servers. Logical separation is facilitated by the addition of a server cloud manager, which is an automated multi-server management layer. Each logical server has persistent attributes that establish its identity. Each physical server includes or is coupled to physical resources including a network resource, a data storage resource and a processor resource. At least one physical server executes virtualization software that virtualizes physical resources for logical servers.

Abstract: A shared-nothing virtual cluster including multiple virtual servers located on a corresponding number of physical servers linked together via a network. The virtual servers collectively form an active/passive (A/P) cluster including an active virtual server and at least one passive server. The shared-nothing virtual cluster further includes an interlink and multiple virtual drives located on the physical servers. The active virtual server handles a cluster load and executes a first operating system that operates the virtual drives in a data redundant configuration that collectively stores a data set for the cluster. Each passive virtual server, when activated, is coupled to a sufficient number of the virtual drives with redundant information to recover the data set for the cluster. The interlink is operatively configured to detect failure of the active server and to initiate promotion of a virtual server to active status to resume handling the cluster load after failover.

Abstract: A virtual hard drive (VHD) file manager system for a virtualized logical server cloud including a master repository and a VHD file manager. The VHD interfaces virtualization software and a server cloud manager to manage VHDs for logical servers of the server cloud. The master repository stores multiple master component files associated with the stored VHDs. The master component files include at least one core file and at least one delta file. The VHD file manager enables copying of the master component files to deploy VHDs in the server cloud, manages creation and storing of new delta files and corresponding VHDs in the master repository, and generates and maintains meta information to maintain file relationship integrity.

Abstract: A dynamic state manager (DSM) for a server cloud manager (SCM) of a virtualized logical server cloud including a resource definition, a rules module and a state manager engine. The resource definition incorporates information of the available physical and logical resources of the server cloud, including cost, priority, usage and demand information of the resources. The resource definition further incorporates dependencies and relationships between physical and logical resources. The rules module includes predetermined behavioral rules based on demand, usage, priority and cost information. The behavioral rules define optimized resource utilization of the resources of the server cloud. The state manager engine is linked to the resource definition and the rules module and cooperates with the SCM to apply the behavioral rules to achieve optimized resource utilization.

Abstract: A server cloud manager (SCM) for controlling logical servers and physical resources that form a virtualized logical server cloud. The SCM includes multiple core components and one or more interface components. The core components serve as a shared foundation to collectively manage events, validate and authorize server cloud users and agents, enforce predetermined requirements and rules and store operation data. The one or more interface components enable communication with external entities and includes an SCM proxy manager that enables communication with one or more SCMs of other server clouds. A server cloud system including a first server cloud that includes a first server cloud manager (SCM) and a first logical server, and a second server cloud that includes a second SCM. The first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to manage operation of the first logical server.

Abstract: A virtualized logical server cloud that enables logical servers to exist independent of physical servers that instantiate the logical servers. Servers are treated as logical resources in order to create a logical server cloud. The logical attributes of a logical server are non-deterministically allocated to physical resources creating a cloud of logical servers over the physical servers. Logical separation is facilitated by the addition of a server cloud manager, which is an automated multi-server management layer. Each logical server has persistent attributes that establish its identity. Each physical server includes or is coupled to physical resources including a network resource, a data storage resource and a processor resource. At least one physical server executes virtualization software that virtualizes physical resources for logical servers.