Method and apparatus for token-based virtual machine recycling

A method for recycling a virtual machine running on a device, comprising:

• storing a virtual machine token associated with a virtual machine running on a particular device, the virtual machine token comprising a timestamp indicating when the virtual machine was established;
• storing a secure image of the virtual machine;
• receiving a token indicating that the particular device is attempting to access a resource;
• in response to receiving the token, checking the validity of the virtual machine running on the particular device based at least in part upon the timestamp associated with the virtual machine token and a time threshold associated with the virtual machine, wherein the time threshold identifies a period of time during which the virtual machine is valid;
• determining that the virtual machine is invalid when the time threshold associated with the virtual machine exceeds a current time;
• when the virtual machine is invalid, then communicating at least one token to initiate the recycling of the virtual machine by replacing the invalid virtual machine with the stored secure image of the virtual machine;
• recycling the virtual machine by replacing the invalid virtual machine with the stored secure image of the virtual machine;
• waiting for completion of running of at least one pending process by the virtual machine prior to recycling the virtual machine;
• storing a secure copy of the at least one pending process;
• and
• recovering the secure copy of the at least one pending process after recycling the virtual machine.

One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

• store a virtual machine token associated with a virtual machine running on a particular device, the virtual machine token comprising a timestamp indicating when the virtual machine was established;
• store a secure image of the virtual machine;
• and
• receive a token indicating that the particular device is attempting to access a resource;
• in response to receiving the token, check the validity of the virtual machine running on the particular device based at least in part upon the timestamp associated with the virtual machine token and a time threshold associated with the virtual machine, wherein the time threshold identifies a period of time during which the virtual machine is valid;
• determine that the virtual machine is invalid when the time threshold associated with the virtual machine exceeds a current time;
• when the virtual machine is invalid, then communicate at least one token to initiate the recycling of the virtual machine by replacing the invalid virtual machine with the stored secure image of the virtual machine;
• recycle the virtual machine by replacing the invalid virtual machine with the stored secure image of the virtual machine;
• wait for completion of running of at least one pending process by the virtual machine prior to recycling the virtual machine;
• store a secure copy of the at least one pending process;
• and
• recover the secure copy of the at least one pending process after recycling the virtual machine.