# US 2021/0240508 A1 · System and method virtual appliance creation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240508 A1 - Document ID: US20210240508A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/780,435 - Filed: 2020-02-03 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-03 - Assignees: EMC IP Holding Company LLC - Applicants: EMC IP Holding Company LLC - Inventors: Min Liu; James Morton; Ming Zhang; Lihui Su; Yubing Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240508A1 ## CPC - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - G06F 9/4406: {Loading of operating system} - G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files} - G06F 2009/45562: {Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances} - G06F 2009/4557: {Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing} - G06F 2009/45575: {Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and systems for generating virtual appliance products. The techniques include obtaining an operating system virtual disk file; creating a configuration file to include a first reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a second reference to a product-specific disk file; generating a virtual appliance file including the configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the product-specific disk file; and distributing the virtual appliance file to a user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for generating virtual appliance products, the method comprising: obtaining an operating system virtual disk file; creating a configuration file to include a first reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a second reference to a product-specific disk file; generating a virtual appliance file comprising the configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the product-specific disk file; and distributing the virtual appliance file to a user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operating system virtual disk file comprises a hardened version of an operating system of the operating system virtual disk file. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the hardened version of the operating system comprises the operating system, an operating system update, and a compliance file. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user executes the virtual appliance file to obtain a deployed virtual appliance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the configuration file to include a third reference to a data disk file related to the product-specific disk file. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before distributing the virtual appliance file, modifying the configuration file to cause removal of an unnecessary installed package from an operating system disk file to be included in a virtual appliance deployed using the virtual appliance file. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating a second configuration file to include a third reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a fourth reference to a second product-specific disk file; generating a second virtual appliance file comprising the second configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the second product-specific disk file; and distributing the second virtual appliance file to a second user. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for generating virtual appliance products, the method comprising: obtaining an operating system virtual disk file; creating a configuration file to include a first reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a second reference to a product-specific disk file; generating a virtual appliance file comprising the configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the product-specific disk file; and distributing the virtual appliance file to a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the operating system virtual disk file comprises a hardened version of an operating system of the operating system virtual disk file. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the hardened version of the operating system comprises the operating system, an operating system update, and a compliance file. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the user executes the virtual appliance file to obtain a deployed virtual appliance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising modifying the configuration file to include a third reference to a data disk file related to the product-specific disk file. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, before distributing the virtual appliance file, modifying the configuration file to cause removal of an unnecessary installed package from an operating system disk file to be included in a virtual appliance deployed using the virtual appliance file. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises: creating a second configuration file to include a third reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a fourth reference to a second product-specific disk file; generating a second virtual appliance file comprising the second configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the second product-specific disk file; and distributing the second virtual appliance file to a second user. ### Claim 15 A system for generating virtual appliance products, the system comprising: a processor; a memory; and a product creation device executing on the processor and configured to: obtain an operating system virtual disk file; create a configuration file to include a first reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a second reference to a product-specific disk file; generate a virtual appliance file comprising the configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the product-specific disk file; and distribute the virtual appliance file to a user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein: the operating system virtual disk file comprises a hardened version of an operating system of the operating system virtual disk file, and the hardened version of the operating system comprises the operating system, an operating system update, and a compliance file. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the user executes the virtual appliance file to obtain a deployed virtual appliance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the product creation device is further configured to modify the configuration file to include a third reference to a data disk file related to the product-specific disk file. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the product creation device is further configured to, before distributing the virtual appliance file, modify the configuration file to cause removal of an unnecessary installed package from an operating system disk file to be included in a virtual appliance deployed using the virtual appliance file. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the product creation device is further configured to: create a second configuration file to include a third reference to the operating system virtual disk file and a fourth reference to a second product-specific disk file; generate a second virtual appliance file comprising the second configuration file, the operating system virtual disk file, and the second product-specific disk file; and distribute the second virtual appliance file to a second user.