Utilizing software component metadata to provision virtual machines in a networked computing environment

A system for generating a pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) in a networked computing environment, comprising:

• a memory medium comprising instructions;
• a bus coupled to the memory medium;
• and
• a processor coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the system to:
• calculate an install time for each software component combination in a plurality of software component combinations, the install time including an amount of time necessary to uninstall the software components from a partially provisioned VM of which the software components form a subset of VM software components and to transition the software components to a VM having the software component combination having a first plurality of software components from the partially provisioned VM having a different software component combination having a second plurality of software components that is different from the first plurality of software components;
• weight each respective install time by a numerical value that indicates a probability, with respect to other software component combinations, that the software component combination will be requested based on a provisioning history;
• allocate, prior to a request for software components, at least part of the first plurality of software components in the software component combinations to the pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) based on the install time and the weight;
• and
• maintain diversity in the pre-provisioned pool of VMs by removing, in response to the allocating of the at least part of the first plurality of software components to the pre-provisioned pool of VMs, a VM instance having a different combination of software components from the allocated at least part of the first plurality of software components that has the first plurality of software components forming a subset of the different combination of software components from the pre-provisioned pool of VMs.

A computer program product for generating a pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) in a networked computing environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device that is not a signal, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage device, to:

• calculate an install time for each software component combination in a plurality of software component combinations, the install time including an amount of time necessary to uninstall the software components from a partially provisioned VM of which the software components form a subset of VM software components and to transition the software components to a VM having the software component combination having a first plurality of software components from the partially provisioned VM having a different software component combination having a second plurality of software components that is different from the first plurality of software components;
• weight each respective install time by a numerical value that indicates a probability, with respect to other software component combinations, that the software component combination will be requested based on a provisioning history;
• allocate, prior to a request for software components, at least part of the first plurality of software components in the software component combinations to the pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) based on the install time and the weigh;
• and
• maintain diversity in the pre-provisioned pool of VMs by removing, in response to the allocating of the at least part of the first plurality of software components to the pre-provisioned pool of VMs, a VM instance having a different combination of software components from the allocated at least part of the first plurality of software components that has the first plurality of software components forming a subset of the different combination of software components from the pre-provisioned pool of VMs.

A method for deploying a system for generating a pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) in a networked computing environment, comprising:

• deploying a computer infrastructure that executes computer instructions, the computer infrastructure performing a method of:
• calculating an install time for each software component combination in a plurality of software component combinations, the install time including an amount of time necessary to uninstall the software components from a partially provisioned VM of which the software components form a subset of VM software components and to transition the software components to a VM having the software component combination having a first plurality of software components from the partially provisioned VM having a different software component combination having a second plurality of software components that is different from the first plurality of software components;
• weighting each respective install time by a numerical value that indicates a probability, with respect to other software component combinations, that the software component combination will be requested based on a provisioning history associated with a provisioning history;
• and
• allocating, prior to a request for software components, at least part of the first plurality of software components in the software component combinations to the pre-provisioned pool of virtual machines (VMs) based on the install time and the weight;
• and
• maintaining diversity in the pre-provisioned pool of VMs by removing, in response to the allocating of the at least part of the first plurality of software components to the pre-provisioned pool of VMs, a VM instance having a different combination of software components from the allocated at least part of the first plurality of software components that has the first plurality of software components forming a subset of the different combination of software components from the pre-provisioned pool of VMs.