# US 2014/0157266 A1 · Restoring a Previous Version of a Virtual Machine Image

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- Number: US 2014/0157266 A1
- Document ID: US20140157266A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/741,296
- Filed: 2013-01-14
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: James C. Fletcher; Robert T. Uthe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157266A1

## CPC

- G06F 9/455: Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
- G06F 11/0712: {in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems}
- G06F 11/1402: {Saving, restoring, recovering or retrying}
- G06F 11/1458: {Management of the backup or restore process}
- G06F 11/1469: {Backup restoration techniques}
- G06F 11/1484: {involving virtual machines}
- H04L 63/14: {for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic}
- G06F 11/1438: {Restarting or rejuvenating}
- G06F 11/3409: {for performance assessment}
- G06F 11/3476: {Data logging (G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence)}
- G06F 21/56: Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
- G06F 2201/83: the solution involving signatures
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An approach is provided to apply a virtual machine (VM) image to a computer system. In the approach, implemented by an information handling system, a detection is made that a current VM image executing on the computer system is experiencing a problem. In response, prior VM images are analyzed, with each of the prior VM images being an image that was previously executed on the computer system. Based on the analysis, one of the prior VM images is selected and the selected image is used to replace the current VM image on the computer system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of applying a virtual machine (VM) image to a computer system, the method, implemented by an information handling system, comprising:
detecting that a current VM image executing on the computer system is experiencing a problem;
analyzing one or more prior VM images, wherein each of the prior VM images previously executed on the computer system;
selecting one of the prior VM images based on the analysis; and
replacing the current VM image with the selected prior VM image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the analysis further comprises:
creating a current problem signature related to the problem detected in the current VM image; and
comparing the current problem signature with historic problem signatures that each correspond with one of the prior VM images.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
rejecting, based on the comparison, each of the prior VM images with historic problem signatures matching the current problem signature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
identifying, based on the comparison, a set of one or more historic problem signatures that fail to match the current problem signature, wherein the selected prior VM image corresponds to a historic problem signature that is included in the set of one or more historic problem signatures.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising:
qualitatively comparing the set of one or more historic problem signatures, wherein the qualitative comparison results in a selected historic problem signature and wherein the selected prior VM image corresponds to the selected historic problem signature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the historic problem signatures are non-problem signatures indicating that the corresponding prior VM images are problem free.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the selecting of one of the prior VM images further comprises:
identifying a prior VM image with a non-problem signature, wherein the identified prior VM image is selected as the selected prior VM image.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising:
retrieving a plurality of resource metrics corresponding to each of the prior VM images, wherein the resource metrics were initially gathered while the prior VM images were executing on the computer system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
analyzing the plurality of resource metrics corresponding to each of the prior VM images, the analysis resulting in the historic problem signatures corresponding to each of the prior VM images.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing and selecting are performed by a second computer system that manages VM images for a plurality of computer systems, including the computer system.