# US 2014/0157260 A1 · Virtual machine image migration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157260 A1 - Document ID: US20140157260A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,297 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Rahul Balani; Dipyaman Banerjee; Kamal Kumar Bhattacharya; Deepak Kumar Jeswani; Aritra Sen; Akshat Verma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157260A1 ## CPC - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - G06F 8/61: Installation - G06F 9/45533: {Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors} - G06F 2009/4557: {Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and systems for image migration. There are received, at an image reader, files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment. Points of variability are identified within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment. Each point of variability is associated with corresponding metadata, and each point of variability is stored with its corresponding metadata. The at least one image is reconfigured to function in the second environment, such reconfiguring comprising adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata. The reconfigured image is deployed to the second environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of virtual machine image migration, said method comprising the steps of: utilizing a processor to execute computer code configured to perform the steps of: receiving, at an image reader, files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment; identifying points of variability within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment; associating each point of variability with corresponding metadata; storing each point of variability with its corresponding metadata; reconfiguring the at least one image to function in the second environment, said reconfiguring comprising adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata; and deploying the reconfigured image to the second environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second environment comprises a target virtual machine environment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the at least one virtual machine from a first environment comprises a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine; and said method comprises classifying the first and second virtual machines as related virtual machines in response to discovering at least one identical point of variability between the first and second virtual machines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein said adjusting comprises adjusting the at least one identical point of variability to an identical value among the first and second virtual machines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises classifying the files based on a capability to include a point of variability. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing comprises indexing the metadata. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the points of variability comprise elements which change during virtual machine migration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the points of variability comprise at least one member selected from the group consisting of: at least one environment parameter; at least one standard tool; and at least one standard. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises: identifying at least one point of variability which is dependent on at least one other point of variability; and determining a context of dependency between the at least one point of variability and the at least one other point of variability. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein said identifying of at least one point of variability comprises identifying points of variability based on rules that associate an annotation with a text in a file in an image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the rules comprise at least one of: value-based rules; structure-based rules; relationship-based rules; and hybrid rules. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein: each rule includes an associated probability; and said method comprises performing graph-based traversal for calculating confidence in an annotation using a composition of two or more rules, wherein confidence associated with an annotation is at least one of: intrinsic; and relationship-based. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for virtual machine image migration, said apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to receive files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment; computer readable program code configured to identify points of variability within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment; computer readable program code configured to associate each point of variability with corresponding metadata; computer readable program code configured to store each point of variability with its corresponding metadata; computer readable program code configured to reconfigure the at least one image to function in a second environment, the reconfiguring including adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata; and computer readable program code configured to deploy the reconfigured image to the second environment. ### Claim 14 A computer program product for virtual machine image migration, said computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to receive files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment; computer readable program code configured to identify points of variability within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment; computer readable program code configured to associate each point of variability with corresponding metadata; computer readable program code configured to store each point of variability with its corresponding metadata; computer readable program code configured to reconfigure the at least one image to function in a second environment, the reconfiguring including adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata; and computer readable program code configured to deploy the reconfigured image to the second environment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the second environment comprises a target virtual machine environment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein: the at least one virtual machine from a first environment comprises a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine; and said computer readable program code is configured to classify the first and second virtual machines as related virtual machines in response to discovering at least one identical point of variability between the first and second virtual machines. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to classify the files based on a capability to include a point of variability. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to index the metadata. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the points of variability comprise elements which change during virtual machine migration. ### Claim 20 A method comprising: receiving files of at least one image of at least one virtual machine from a first environment; identifying points of variability within the files, with respect to preparation for functioning in a second environment; associating each point of variability with corresponding metadata; storing each point of variability with its corresponding metadata; reconfiguring the at least one image to function in the second environment, said reconfiguring comprising adjusting the points of variability via using the metadata; and subsequently employing the metadata again in migrating the at least one image to a third environment.