Abstract: Responsive to a start-up of an instance of a cloud-based computing environment, metadata that is stored in a virtual trusted platform module (vTPM) is accessed. The metadata represents configuration parameters for the instance, and the configuration parameters include a security credential. The instance is configured based on the metadata. The configuration includes configuring an access control of the instance with the security credential.

Abstract: A method includes calling a function of a memory class object to cause access to a value in a memory table of the memory class object so as to dynamically allocate a memory for access by an operating system. The memory class object represents the memory. The value corresponds to a property of a memory slice selected from a plurality of memory slices into which the memory is partitioned.

Abstract: A system for and method of coordinating actions of components between userspace and kernel are described. The system comprises a processor; zero or more hardware components coupled with the processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and comprising a set of processor-executable instructions. The instructions comprise a component handling state machine responsive to at least one of a kernel component or a userspace component; and at least one component interface thread in communication with the component handling state machine and configured to interact with at least one of the zero of more hardware components responsive to a signal from the component handling state machine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient dynamic allocation of virtual machine resources are described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method including executing virtual machine software on a real computer system (the virtual machine software including a hypervisor and a virtual machine including a plurality of virtual devices), associating each of the plurality of virtual devices with a unique subset of a real device within the real computer system, the hypervisor sending to virtual firmware within the virtual machine a request to eject that requires ejecting from the virtual machine one or more of the plurality of virtual devices, a virtual device resource object within the virtual firmware forwarding the request to eject to a virtual device resource driver executing on the virtual machine, and the virtual device resource driver causing individual ejections of each of the one or more virtual devices in response to the forwarded request.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus to collect and dynamically update system locality information during runtime. In one method embodiment, the present invention collects system locality information at boot time to be provided to an operating system. The system locality information describes distances between devices within an integrated processing system. The operating system is then notified that a triggering event has occurred that may potentially alter the distances between devices within the integrated processing system. Upon receipt of this notification, the operating system invokes an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) procedure that provides updated system locality information during runtime to reflect the changes in distances between devices within the integrated processor system after the occurrence of the triggering event.

Abstract: A system for and method of coordinating actions of components between userspace and kernel are described. The system comprises a processor; zero or more hardware components coupled with the processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and comprising a set of processor-executable instructions. The instructions comprise a component handling state machine responsive to at least one of a kernel component or a userspace component; and at least one component interface thread in communication with the component handling state machine and configured to interact with at least one of the zero of more hardware components responsive to a signal from the component handling state machine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient dynamic allocation of virtual machine resources are described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method including executing virtual machine software on a real computer system (the virtual machine software including a hypervisor and a virtual machine including a plurality of virtual devices), associating each of the plurality of virtual devices with a unique subset of a real device within the real computer system, the hypervisor sending to virtual firmware within the virtual machine a request to eject that requires ejecting from the virtual machine one or more of the plurality of virtual devices, a virtual device resource object within the virtual firmware forwarding the request to eject to a virtual device resource driver executing on the virtual machine, and the virtual device resource driver causing individual ejections of each of the one or more virtual devices in response to the forwarded request.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and systems are described for switching root cells for a computer system without requiring the computer system to be re-booted. In one embodiment, objects are used to represent fixed registers associated with a first cell and a second cell of the computer system. In response to detecting that the second cell should be used instead of the first cell as a root cell for the computer system, the objects are used to communicate information between firmware and an operating system associated with the computer system, wherein the information describes the fixed registers associated with the second cell.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and systems are described for switching root cells for a computer system without requiring the computer system to be re-booted. In one embodiment, objects are used to represent fixed registers associated with a first cell and a second cell of the computer system. In response to detecting that the second cell should be used instead of the first cell as a root cell for the computer system, the objects are used to communicate information between firmware and an operating system associated with the computer system, wherein the information describes the fixed registers associated with the second cell.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and apparatuses are described for dynamically allocating resources used by software. In one embodiment, a script is received for a first piece of software. The script is associated with a system. The script enables the piece of software to respond to dynamic allocation of the resources. Further, another script is received for another piece of software. This script is also associated with the system and also enables the second piece of software to respond to dynamic allocation of the resources. By receiving the script, among other things, the system can be extended to provide dynamic allocation of the resources.