Template virtual machines

Abstract

There is provided a method of providing a template virtual machine. An exemplary method comprises creating a template virtual machine comprising an image of an operating system and software running on the operating system. The template virtual machine does not include machine-specific identifiers. The template virtual machine is booted into a virtual machine environment. Subsequently, machine-specific identifiers for the template virtual machine are updated. The template virtual machine may then be booted with machine-specific identifiers into a service instance to perform a function determined by the software running on the operating system such that uniform code pages representing the operating system and software running on the operating system are shared among virtual machines in the virtual machine environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing a template virtual machine, comprising:
 creating a template virtual machine comprising an image of an operating system and software running on the operating system, the template virtual machine being without machine-specific identifiers;   booting the template virtual machine into a virtual machine environment;   updating machine-specific identifiers of the template virtual machine; and   booting the template virtual machine with machine-specific identifiers into a service instance to perform a function determined by the software running on the operating system such that uniform code pages representing the operating system and software running on the operating system are shared among virtual machines in the virtual machine environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the uniform code pages comprise identical physical memory pages. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the uniform code pages are identified in advance of booting the template virtual machine into the virtual machine environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the function comprises a web hosting function. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising increasing a consolidation ratio in the virtual machine environment by booting another template virtual machine into the virtual machine environment. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising sharing configuration information between the template virtual machine and another template virtual machine having the same software running on the operating system. 
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising storing attributes that define the machine-specific identifiers in a state separated store. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 7 , comprising storing attributes corresponding to an application state of the software running on the operating system in the state separated store. 
     
     
         9 . The method recited in  claim 7 , comprising modifying an attribute of the template virtual machine by accessing the state separated store either online or offline. 
     
     
         10 . The method recited in  claim 7 , comprising storing the state separated store on a differencing virtual hard disk. 
     
     
         11 . The method recited in  claim 7 , comprising creating a clone of the template virtual machine by copying the image of the operating system and the software running on the operating system and adding attributes corresponding to machine-specific identifiers. 
     
     
         12 . A system for providing a template virtual machine, the method comprising:
 a processing unit; and   a system memory, wherein the system memory comprises code configured to direct the processing unit to:
 create a template virtual machine comprising an image of an operating system and software running on the operating system, the template virtual machine being without machine-specific identifiers; 
 boot the template virtual machine into a virtual machine environment; 
 update machine-specific identifiers of the template virtual machine; and 
 boot the template virtual machine with machine-specific identifiers into a service instance to perform a function determined by the software running on the operating system such that uniform code pages representing the operating system and software running on the operating system are shared among virtual machines in the virtual machine environment. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein the uniform code pages comprise identical physical memory pages. 
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein the uniform code pages are identified in advance of booting the template virtual machine into the virtual machine environment. 
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein a consolidation ratio in the virtual machine environment is increased by booting another template virtual machine into the virtual machine environment. 
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein configuration information is shared between the template virtual machine and a second template virtual machine having the same software running on the operating system. 
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 12 , comprising a state separated store that stores attributes that define the machine-specific identifiers. 
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 17 , wherein the state separated store stores attributes corresponding to an application state of the software running on the operating system. 
     
     
         19 . The system recited in  claim 17 , wherein an attribute of the template virtual machine is modified by accessing the state separated store. 
     
     
         20 . One or more computer-readable storage media, comprising code configured to direct a processing unit to:
 create a template virtual machine comprising an image of an operating system and software running on the operating system, the template virtual machine being without machine-specific identifiers;   boot the template virtual machine into a virtual machine environment;   add machine-specific identifiers to the template virtual machine; and   boot the template virtual machine with machine-specific identifiers into a service instance to perform a function determined by the software running on the operating system such that uniform code pages representing the operating system and software running on the operating system are shared among virtual machines in the virtual machine environment.