Abstract: A mechanism for prioritized scheduling of virtual machines is disclosed. A method includes receiving control of a virtual machine (VM) managed by a virtual machine monitor (VMM) on a host machine and executing a prioritization task involving a hardware emulation of the VM, determining an interactivity statistic for the VM based on a hardware type factor of the hardware emulation of the VM, calculating an interactivity rate for the VM based on the determined interactivity statistic for the VM, sending the calculated interactivity rate to a management daemon if the calculated interactivity rate is different than a previous interactivity rate for the VM, re-calculating priority numbers for each of the VM and all other VMs managed by the VMM based on the calculated interactivity rate, and providing the re-calculated priority numbers to a scheduling algorithm of a scheduler of the host machine for the scheduler to utilize in prioritizing the VM process.

Abstract: A method for performing a snapshot in a distributed shared file system (DSFS) is provided. The method includes synchronizing a snapshot operation among a plurality of domains of the DSFS; writing pending write requests to a memory to suspend write operations for the domains of the DSFS; and after the writing the pending write requests, generating a snapshot file comprising data items representing a current state of the DSFS.

Abstract: A mechanism for managing power in a virtual machine system is disclosed. A method for a host-based power management system may include monitoring a plurality of VMs in a VM system to detect user activity associated with each of the plurality of VMs, identifying a VM of the plurality of VMs that is inactive based on the user activity associated with the VM, and applying a power reduction policy to the VM.

Abstract: A mechanism for reducing the power consumption of virtual machine host servers is disclosed. A method for a virtual machine (VM) power reduction agent (PRA) hosted by a VM may include identifying a user activity associated with the VM, determining that the VM is inactive based on the user activity associated with the VM, and notifying a host of the VM that the VM is inactive to facilitate application of a power reduction policy to the VM based on specific power reduction settings associated with the VM.

Abstract: A processor executing a display driver receives a new image object that has one or more identifiers. The processor makes a first determination as to whether the new image object matches one of a plurality of previously received image objects based on the one or more identifiers. If no match is found, the processor makes a second determination as to whether the new image object matches one of the plurality of previously received image objects based on comparing a hash of the new image object to hashes of the plurality of previously received image objects. If a matching previously received image object is found from either the first determination or the second determination, a reference to the matching previously received image object is sent to a client. If no matching previously received image object is found, the new image object is sent to the client.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving streaming data of graphics remoting applications are described herein. According to one embodiment, a stream of data objects is generated, each data object representing graphics data associated with an image to be rendered at a client over a network. For each data object, it is detected whether the associated image includes a first region and a second region having content with different types of contents based on a changing rate of display output regions. The first region is compressed using a first compression method and the second region is compressed using a second compression method different than the first compression method. The graphics data associated with the compressed first region and second region is transmitted to the client over the network to be rendered at the client. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a mechanism for migration of client-side virtual machine system resources is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving notification that a virtual machine (VM) is to be live migrated from a first server to a second server, connecting one or more client resources associated with the VM to the second server during the live migration of the VM while maintaining a simultaneous active VM connection of the one or more client resources to the first server, and disconnecting the active VM connection of the one or more client resources to the first server when the live migration of the VM is complete.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting multiple displays in a virtual machine (VM) environment are disclosed. The system includes a client device coupled to a server hosting one or more VMs. The client device may include multiple displays and a client display manager coupled to the displays. The client display manager may be operable to establish display connections with virtual devices of a VM, receive data generated by the VM via the display connections, and forward the data to a display controller of a relevant display.

Abstract: A method and system for display device configuration in a VM environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes determining one or more display devices of a client and transmitting client display information to a host running one or more VMs. Further, a notification is received by the client from the host indicating that display settings of the VM were configured based on the client display information.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamically changing streaming video quality are described herein. In one embodiment, a network traffic condition of a network and a local processing bandwidth of a client are periodically determined. A data compression method and/or compression rate is dynamically selected that is most appropriate to transmit a video frame to the client over the network in view of the determined network traffic condition and the local processing bandwidth of the client. The video frame is then compressed using the selected compression method and/or compression rate and sent over to a client to be rendered at the client.

Abstract: A method and system for data compression of images using a shared dictionary are described herein. According to one embodiment, a server identifies a current images that is part of a stream of images generated by an application hosted by the server. The stream of images includes images previously transmitted to the client. For each segment of pixels in the current image, the server searches a dictionary containing data for the stream of images. If the dictionary includes data corresponding to the segment of pixels in the current image, the server determines metadata for the segment of pixels in the current image using the corresponding data from the dictionary, and transmits the metadata to the client without transmitting the segment of pixels from the current image.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving compression efficiency of for graphics remoting are described herein. According to one embodiment, for each data object of a stream generated within a virtual machine, the data object including graphics data representing an image to be rendered at a client over a network, it is determined whether an image associated with each data object is related to a real life content or an artificial content based on a similarity of one or more pixels selected within at least a segment of the image. A compression method is selected based on the determination of whether the image is related to a real life content or an artificial content. The image is compressed using the selected compression method and thereafter, the compressed image is streamed to the client over the network to be rendered at the client. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for playing multimedia content at a remote graphics display client are described herein. According to one embodiment, a stream of data objects is sequentially transmitted to a client over a network. The stream is generated by a desktop application representing a snapshot of a display output of the desktop application. The data objects are to be rendered at the client for graphics remoting purposes. It is detected that a multimedia object is to be rendered by the desktop application. The multimedia object is caused to be rendered remotely at the client without having to render the multimedia object locally and without having to transmit a display result of the rendering to the client over the network. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A method for performing a snapshot in a distributed shared file system (DSFS) is provided. The method includes synchronizing a snapshot operation among a plurality of domains of the DSFS; writing pending write requests to a memory to suspend write operations for the domains of the DSFS; and after the writing the pending write requests, generating a snapshot file comprising data items representing a current state of the DSFS.