Managing resources in virtualization systems

A system for managing computer resources, comprising:

• a virtualization system comprising a virtual machine and multiple computer servers;
• and
• instructions stored on a computer readable medium and executable by a data processing apparatus to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• determining, by a virtual machine element manager, a computer resource bundle to be purchased for the virtual machine using virtual currency units wherein the virtual machine is a software implementation of a computer that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• identifying at least two computer servers in the virtualization system offering the computer resource bundle;
• determining a purchase price for the computer resource bundle, in virtual currency units, for each of the at least two computer servers;
• automatically selecting, by the virtual machine element manager, a first one of the at least two computer servers based at least in part on the purchase price for the computer resource bundle for each of the at least two computer servers;
• allocating the computer resource bundle from the first one of the at least two computer servers, by a hypervisor associated with the first one of the at least two computer servers, to the virtual machine;
• initiating, following an increase in the purchase price for the allocated computer resource bundle, a credit check process by the virtual machine element manager, wherein the credit check process results in an increase in budget of virtual currency units available for usage by the virtual machine;
• and
• determining, following initiation of the credit check process, whether the virtual machine is to be moved from the first one of the at least two computer servers to a second one of the at least two computer servers, wherein the moving determination is based at least in part on the purchase price for the computer resource bundle offered by the second one of the at least two computer servers.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining, by an element manager running on a data processor in a first virtualization system that includes at least one virtual machine, a computer resource bundle to be purchased for a computer element in the first virtualization system using virtual currency units, wherein the virtual machine in the first virtualization system is a software implementation of a computer that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• allocating the computer resource bundle from a first computer server in the first virtualization system, by a hypervisor associated with the first computer server, to the computer element;
• initiating, following an increase in the purchase price for the allocated computer resource bundle, a credit check process by the element manager, wherein the credit check process results in an increase in budget of virtual currency units available for usage by the computer element;
• receiving, from a proxy manager of a second virtualization system offering the computer resource bundle, a purchase price for the determined computer resource bundle in virtual currency units, wherein the second virtualization system also includes at least one virtual machine that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• determining, following initiation of the credit check process, whether the determined computer resource bundle is to be purchased from a second computer server in the second virtualization system based at least in part on the purchase price received from the proxy manager of the second virtualization system;
• moving the computer element from the first computer server to the second computer server;
• and
• allocating the computer resource bundle from the second computer server in the second virtualization system to the computer element.

A system for managing computer resources, comprising:

• a first virtualization system including at least one virtual machine and comprising a computer element, wherein the virtual machine in the first virtualization system is a software implementation of a computer that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• a second virtualization system comprising a proxy manager;
• and
• instructions stored on a computer readable medium in the first virtualization system and executable by a data processing apparatus to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• determining, by an element manager in the first virtualization system, a computer resource bundle to be purchased for the computer element in the first virtualization system using virtual currency units;
• allocating the computer resource bundle from a first computer server in the first virtualization system, by a hypervisor associated with the first computer server, to the computer element;
• initiating, following an increase in the purchase price for the allocated computer resource bundle, a credit check process by the element manager, wherein the credit check process results in an increase in budget of virtual currency units available for usage by the computer element;
• receiving, from the proxy manager of the second virtualization system, a purchase price for the determined computer resource bundle in virtual currency units, wherein the second virtualization system also includes at least one virtual machine that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• determining, following initiation of the credit check process, whether the determined computer resource bundle is to be purchased from a second computer server in the second virtualization system based at least in part on the purchase price received from the proxy manager of the second virtualization system;
• determining that the computer element is to be moved from the first computer server to the second computer server to allow the allocation of the computer resource bundle from the second computer server in the second virtualization system to the computer element.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining, by an element manager running on a data processor in a first virtualization system that includes at least one virtual machine, a computer resource bundle to be purchased for a computer element in the first virtualization system using virtual currency units, wherein the virtual machine in the first virtualization system is a software implementation of a computer that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• allocating the computer resource bundle from a first computer server in the first virtualization system, by a hypervisor associated with the first computer server, to the computer element;
• identifying at least a second virtualization system and a third virtualization system offering the computer resource bundle at respective purchase prices, in virtual currency units, wherein the second and third virtualization systems each includes at least one virtual machine that runs at least one guest operating system and executes one or more programs or applications on the guest operating system;
• receiving, from respective proxy managers of the second virtualization system and the third virtualization system, a first purchase price for the computer resource bundle for the second virtualization system and a second purchase price for the computer resource bundle for the third virtualization system;
• initiating, following an increase in the purchase price for the allocated computer resource bundle, a credit check process by the element manager, wherein the credit check process results in an increase in budget of virtual currency units available for usage by the computer element;
• automatically selecting, following initiation of the credit check process, one of the second virtualization system and the third virtualization system based at least in part on the respective purchase prices for the computer resource bundle for the second virtualization system and the third virtualization system;
• and
• determining that the computer element is to be moved from the first computer server in the first virtualization system to a computer server in the selected one of the second and third virtualization systems to allow the allocation of the computer resource bundle from the selected one of the second and third virtualization systems to the computer element.