Booting a physical device using custom-created frozen partially-booted virtual machines
US9952877B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 23, 2014 |
| Grant date | Apr 24, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2009/45575
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment, a physical device (e.g., packet switching device, computer, server) is booted using custom-created frozen partially-booted virtual machines, avoiding the time required for an end-to-end boot process. In one embodiment while the system is operating under a current version, a partially-booted virtual image of a new operating version for each of multiple processing elements of the device is produced according to static configuration information specific to the device, with each of these partially-booted virtual machines frozen. The device is rebooted to a fully operational device by unfreezing these partially-booted virtual machines, thus removing this portion of a boot process from the real-time booting of the device. The generation of the frozen partially-booted virtual machines is advantageously performed by the device itself based on current static configuration information and the availability of the specific hardware configuration of the device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.