Corralling virtual machines with encryption keys
US8364983B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jan 29, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2209/60
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A virtual machine comprises a unique identifier that is associated with one or more encryption keys. A management server encrypts the virtual machine's virtual hard disk(s) using the one or more associated encryption keys. The management server further provides the one or more encryption keys to a limited number of one or more servers in a system. Only those one or more servers that have been provided the one or more encryption keys can be used to load, access, and/or operate the virtual machine. The management server can thus differentiate which virtual machines can be operated on which servers by differentiating which servers can receive which encryption keys. In one implementation, a management server encrypts all virtual machines in the system, but encrypts virtual machines with sensitive data with a limited set of encryption keys, and further provides those encryption keys to a limited set of trusted servers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.