Nondisruptive updates in a networked computing environment

A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executed by a computer device, performs a method for facilitating nondisruptive maintenance on a virtual machine (VM) in a networked computing environment, the method comprising:

• creating, in response to a receipt of a request to implement an update on an active VM, a copy of the active VM, wherein the copy is a snapshot VM;
• installing, while saving all incoming changes directed to the active VM, the update on the snapshot VM;
• applying, when the update on the snapshot VM is complete, the saved incoming changes on the snapshot VM until the saved incoming changes are completely applied to the snapshot VM such that the active VM and the snapshot VM are running in parallel;
• and
• switching, in response to the active VM and the snapshot VM running in parallel, from the active VM to the snapshot VM so the snapshot VM becomes a new active VM and the active VM becomes an inactive VM.

A system for facilitating nondisruptive maintenance on a virtual machine (VM) in a networked computing environment, comprising:

• a physical server having an operating system;
• a plurality of virtual machines running on the physical server;
• a communications port that connects the physical server to a network;
• a virtual machine upgrade engine, configured to:
• create, in response to a receipt of a request to implement an update on an active VM, a copy of the active VM, wherein the copy is a snapshot VM;
• install, while saving all incoming changes directed to the active VM, the update on the snapshot VM;
• apply, when the update on the snapshot VM is complete, the saved incoming changes on the snapshot VM until the saved incoming changes are completely applied to the snapshot VM such that the active VM and the snapshot VM are running in parallel;
• and
• switch, in response to the active VM and the snapshot VM running in parallel, from the active VM to the snapshot VM so the snapshot VM becomes a new active VM and the active VM becomes an inactive VM.