Creating an application virtual machine image by isolating installation artifacts in shadow area

A method for creating a virtual machine image in a computer system, comprising:

• executing a virtual machine monitor;
• generating a preparation virtual machine operating on an operating system;
• executing the preparation virtual machine under the virtual machine monitor, the preparation virtual machine being selectively virtualized above the operating system (OS) of a host system by the virtual machine monitor selectively intercepting certain file-related API's of the OS while allowing other API's to pass through unchanged to the OS;
• capturing an initial state of the preparation virtual machine, wherein the initial state of the preparation virtual machine is free of any artifacts created during execution of the virtual machine monitor;
• installing, after capturing the initial state of the preparation virtual machine, an application onto the preparation virtual machine;
• capturing, by the preparation virtual machine, an installed state of the application in response to installing the application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the installed state of the application comprises artifacts generated in response to installing the at least one application on the preparation virtual machine, and wherein the artifacts of the installed state of the application are stored in a shadow area associated with the virtual machine monitor isolated from the host system;
• freezing, after the installed state is captured, the preparation virtual machine;
• testing, after the freezing of the preparation virtual machine, the application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the freezing prevents any artifacts generated based on the testing from being introduced onto the preparation virtual machine;
• generating, after the testing and based on the captured installed state of the application, a preparation document, wherein the preparation document at least identifies artifacts required by the application and dependencies associated with the application;
• and
• generating, by the preparation virtual machine, a virtual machine image representing the initial state of the empty preparation virtual machine and the installed state of the application.

A computer system for creating a virtual machine image, comprising:

• a memory;
• a data storage medium;
• a processor in communication with said memory and the data storage medium, executing an operation system (OS), the OS executing a virtual machine monitor;
• and
• a machine readable medium comprising an instruction set executable by the processor, the instruction set comprising:
• executing, under the virtual machine monitor, a preparation virtual machine, the preparation virtual machine being selectively virtualized above the OS by the virtual machine monitor selectively intercepting certain file-related API's of the OS while allowing other API's to pass through unchanged to the OS;
• capturing an initial state of the preparation virtual machine, wherein the initial state of the preparation virtual machine is free of any artifacts created during execution of the virtual machine monitor;
• installing, after capturing the initial state of the preparation virtual machine, at least one application on the preparation virtual machine;
• capturing, by the preparation virtual machine, an installed state of the application in response to installing the application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the installed state of the application comprises artifacts generated in response to installing the at least one application on the preparation virtual machine, and wherein the artifacts of the installed state of the application are stored in a shadow area associated with the virtual machine monitor isolated from the host system;
• freezing, after the installed state is captured, the preparation virtual machine;
• testing, after the freezing of the preparation virtual machine, the application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the freezing prevents any artifacts generated based on the testing from being introduced onto the preparation virtual machine;
• and
• generating, by the preparation virtual machine, after the testing a virtual machine image representing the initial state of the preparation virtual machine and the installed state of the application.

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising an instruction set executable by a computer system for creating a virtual machine image, the instruction set comprising:

• executing a virtual machine monitor;
• executing, under the virtual machine monitor, a preparation virtual machine, the preparation virtual machine being selectively virtualized above an operating system (OS) of a host system by the virtual machine monitor selectively intercepting certain file-related API's of the OS while allowing other API's to pass through unchanged to the OS;
• capturing an initial state of the preparation virtual machine, wherein the initial state of the preparation virtual machine is free of any artifacts created during execution of the virtual machine monitor;
• installing, after capturing the initial state of the preparation virtual machine, at least one application on the preparation virtual machine;
• capturing, by the preparation virtual machine, an installed state of the application in response to installing the application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the installed state of the application comprises artifacts generated in response to installing the at least one application on the preparation virtual machine, and wherein the artifacts of the installed state of the application are stored in a shadow area associated with the virtual machine monitor isolated from the host system;
• freezing, after the installed state is captured, the preparation virtual machine;
• testing, after the freezing of the preparation virtual machine, the at least one application on the preparation virtual machine, wherein the freezing prevents any artifacts generated based on the testing from being introduced onto the preparation virtual machine;
• and
• generating, by the preparation virtual machine after the testing, a virtual machine image representing the initial state of the preparation virtual machine and the installed state of the application.