Patent ID: 8225317
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for inserting an agent of a virtual appliance into a virtual machine, the method being performed by a computing system comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: inserting, into a first exception handler memory location of the virtual machine, one or more computer-executable instructions configured to facilitate transfer of control from the virtual machine to an agent-insertion module of the virtual appliance; triggering an exception during execution of the virtual machine to cause the one or more computer-executable instructions in the first exception handler memory location to be executed; obtaining control from the virtual machine after the one or more computer-executable instructions execute; inserting the agent of the virtual appliance into the virtual machine, wherein: identifying an event that triggers invocation of the agent of the virtual appliance; inserting, into a second exception handler memory location of the virtual machine, one or more computer-executable instructions configured to transfer control of execution to the agent of the virtual appliance; triggering an exception during execution of the virtual machine to cause the one or more computer-executable instructions in the second exception handler memory location to execute such that execution is transferred to the agent of the virtual appliance and the agent of the virtual appliance executes, wherein an agent invocation module of the virtual appliance performs the identifying the event, the inserting the one or more computer-executable instructions configured to transfer control of execution to the agent of the virtual appliance, and the triggering the exception.