Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware-dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware-dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method enables a central management service to operate on individual files within virtual disks associated with different virtual machines (VMs) running in one or more host computers that are each networked to a remote storage system. An IO request from a VM is received at a virtualization software layer on a host computer, wherein the IO request relates to a file stored in a virtual disk associated with the VM, and the file is individually stored in the remote storage system in accordance with a file system. The central management service is notified of the received IO request and uses the file system to access the file in the remote storage system to perform a management task on the file, and the IO request is then performed on the file by the virtualization software layer upon a notification of a successful completion of the management task.

Abstract: In a method of updating software on a dormant disk, exposed files are accessed. The exposed files are exposed by mounting the dormant disk. The exposed files are scanned to determine the status of software residing on the dormant disk. The scanning is achieved without requiring booting of the dormant disk. It is determined whether an update is available for the software residing on the dormant disk.

Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware-dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware-dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for converting a disk of a physical computer into a virtual disk for use by a virtual machine is described. Contents of the disk of the physical computer are copied into an image file, wherein the image file has a different sector-by-sector organization of the contents than the disk but a logically equivalent file system organization. Hardware configuration information from the image file is then extracted, wherein the hardware configuration information relates to hardware of the physical computer and, based on a comparison of the extracted hardware configuration information and a virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine, hardware-dependent files in the image file are replaced with substitute files that are compatible with the virtual hardware configuration of the virtual machine.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that uses a dual loopback mounting mechanism to capture and deploy an image of a source disk with no need for the source disk to be loaded with special software or otherwise prepared. The image may be captured even where the source disk uses a proprietary file system. The invention also provides mechanisms to extract a system's hardware configuration from a static image of its disk, and to catalog, warehouse, reconfigure, customize, and deploy disk images on diverse computers. Still other mechanisms are provided to perform efficient physical-to-virtual, virtual-to-physical, and virtual-to-virtual system migration.

Abstract: A source image of the hardware and software configuration of a source computer, including the state of at least one source disk, is automatically captured. The source computer may remain unprepared and requires no program for facilitating computer cloning and reconfiguration. The source image is automatically analyzed and the hardware configuration of a destination computer is determined. The source image is modified as needed for either compatibility with the destination computer, or for customization, and after possible modification the source image is deployed on the destination computer. Either or both of the source and destination computers may be virtual machines.