Comparison of virtual computing states by performing identified repeatable computations in a changing virtual computing environment

A method, comprising:

• performing by a physical computer system comprising a processor and a memory:
• a virtualization module implementing one or more virtual machines, wherein each of the one or more virtual machines is configured to execute an operating system that is distinct from any underlying operating system executed by the physical computer system;
• identifying one or more repeatable computations and one or more resources for performing the one or more repeatable computations on the one or more virtual machines;
• in response to a client request to initially perform a computation that has been identified as one of the one or more identified repeatable computations, the virtualization module archiving an original initial state of the repeatable computation, instructing that the one or more virtual machines initially perform the repeatable computation, and archiving an original terminal state of the repeatable computation;
• and
• in response to a client request to repeat the repeatable computation:
• the virtualization module instructing that the one or more virtual machines be initialized according to configuration information indicated by the archived original initial state of the repeatable computation, wherein at a time the client request to repeat the repeatable computation is received, one or more aspects of a computing environment for the one or more virtual machines differ from when the repeatable computation was originally performed, and
• the virtualization module instructing that the one or more virtual machines perform the repeatable computation to generate a new terminal state of the repeatable computation, wherein the new terminal state is expected to match the original terminal state according to a success criterion.

A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium that stores instructions, wherein the instructions are computer-executable to implement a virtualization module that is configured to:

• implement one or more virtual machines, wherein each of the one or more virtual machines is configured to execute an operating system that is distinct from any underlying operating system executed by the physical computer system;
• identify one or more repeatable computations and one or more resources for performing the one or more repeatable computations on the one or more virtual machines;
• in response to a client request to initially perform a computation that has been identified as one of the one or more identified repeatable computations, archive an original initial state of the repeatable computation, instruct that the one or more virtual machines initially perform the repeatable computation, and archive an original terminal state of the repeatable computation;
• and
• in response to a client request to repeat the repeatable computation:
• instruct that the one or more virtual machines be initialized according to configuration information indicated by the archived original initial state of the repeatable computation, wherein at a time the client request to repeat the repeatable computation is received, one or more aspects of a computing environment for the one or more virtual machines differ from when the repeatable computation was originally performed, and
• instruct that the one or more virtual machines perform the repeatable computation to generate a new terminal state of the repeatable computation, wherein the new terminal state is expected to match the original terminal state according to a success criterion.