Virtual Device Software Delivery for Virtual Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for delivering software updates to virtual machines are inefficient due to unpredictability in agentless methods and increased complexity and cost with agent-based methods, particularly in virtual environments where network configuration and authentication issues are prevalent, and they do not scale well for large numbers of client computers.
Innovation Solution
A method that delivers software payloads directly to a virtual machine's file system using a virtual device, establishing a data path with a guest agent and monitoring status, without involving the virtual network interface card (NIC) or host bus adapter (HBA), and utilizing a backdoor channel for communication, along with hot-add and hot-insert methods for zero or minimal copy operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If agentless software delivery method is used, then deployment simplicity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to network configuration and authentication issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual device as an intermediary component within the virtual machine that mediates between the external software delivery system and the guest operating system. This virtual device acts as a trusted bridge that eliminates the need for network-based authentication while ensuring reliable payload delivery, thus resolving the contradiction between deployment simplicity and delivery reliability.
2Reliability
If agent-based software delivery method is used, then delivery reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to agent installation and management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the software delivery functionality directly into the virtual device driver that already exists within the virtual machine. By combining the payload reception, processing, and installation functions into the existing virtual device infrastructure, the system achieves reliable software delivery without requiring separate agent installations or additional management components, thus reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If traditional server-to-client delivery method is used, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to multiple copy operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the payload delivery process from the traditional network-based server-to-client path and redirects it through the virtual device's direct data path. By taking out the intermediate network transmission and multiple copy operations, the system delivers payloads more efficiently while maintaining operational simplicity through the virtual device's streamlined processing pipeline.
4Ease of operation
If virtual network interface card is used for payload delivery, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to network configuration issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the virtual network interface card with a virtual device that acts as an intermediary, eliminating network configuration requirements. This virtual device provides a direct, configuration-free data path from the external delivery system to the guest operating system, ensuring reliable payload delivery without the operational complexity of network settings.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment entails delivering a software payload to guest software in a virtual machine so that the software payload is part of a file system accessible by the guest software, wherein the delivery is such that the software payload is part of a file system accessible by the guest software. The delivering utilizes a virtual device of the virtual machine, but does not involve either a virtual network interface card (NIC) or any virtual host bus adapter (VHBA) of the virtual machine. The delivering further includes establishing a data path from the software payload to the virtual machine and a guest agent of the virtual machine. During processing of the software payload, status from the guest agent is monitored. After reception of the status indicating completion of the processing of the software payload, the data path is deactivated.