Quickly provisioning a virtual machine by identifying a path to a differential file during pre-boot
AssigneeCitrix Systems, Inc.
InventorMoso Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for implementing a provisioned machine that persists across a client machine reboot. For example, a bootstrap function executing on a client machine may identify a delta disk stored on a physical disk of the client machine prior to booting up the operating system of the client machine. The bootstrap function may establish the path to the delta disk during the boot up of the operating system of the client machine. A provisioned machine may then be established based on the delta disk and the remote base disk to form a virtual disk of the operating system. Subsequently, the client machine may shut down, reboot and re-establish the provisioned machine based on the delta disk stored locally on the client machine.
Claims17
A method, comprising:
- provisioning, by a physical machine, a first instance of a virtual machine, the first instance of the virtual machine comprising a first modifiable disk, the first modifiable disk being generated based on a base disk remotely located from the physical machine;
- and
- responsive to a reboot of the physical machine:
- identifying, by a bootstrap function executing on the physical machine and prior to booting up an operating system of the physical machine, a path to a file locally stored on the physical machine and comprising data indicating one or more differences between the first modifiable disk and the base disk remotely located from the physical machine, the one or more differences corresponding to one or more modifications made to the first modifiable disk via the first instance of the virtual machine;
- and
- provisioning, by the physical machine, a second instance of the virtual machine, the second instance of the virtual machine comprising a second modifiable disk, the second modifiable disk being generated based on the base disk remotely located from the physical machine and the file.
A computing device, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
- provision a first instance of a virtual machine, the first instance of the virtual machine comprising a first modifiable disk, the first modifiable disk being generated based on a base disk remotely located from the computing device;
- and
- responsive to a reboot of the computing device:
- identify, by a bootstrap function executing on the computing device and prior to booting up an operating system of the computing device, a path to a file locally stored on the computing device and comprising data indicating one or more differences between the first modifiable disk and the base disk remotely located from the computing device, the one or more differences corresponding to one or more modifications made to the first modifiable disk via the first instance of the virtual machine;
- and
- provision a second instance of the virtual machine, the second instance of the virtual machine comprising a second modifiable disk, the second modifiable disk being generated based on the base disk remotely located from the computing device and the file.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:
- provision a first instance of a virtual machine, the first instance of the virtual machine comprising a first modifiable disk, the first modifiable disk being generated based on a base disk remotely located from the computer;
- and
- responsive to a reboot of the computer:
- identify, by a bootstrap function executing on the computer and prior to booting up an operating system of the computer, a path to a file locally stored on the computer and comprising data indicating one or more differences between the first modifiable disk and the base disk remotely located from the computer, the one or more differences corresponding to one or more modifications made to the first modifiable disk via the first instance of the virtual machine;
- and
- provision a second instance of the virtual machine, the second instance of the virtual machine comprising a second modifiable disk, the second modifiable disk being generated based on the base disk remotely located from the computer and the file.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.