Patent ID: 8209408

Claim:
A computer implemented method for providing multiple virtual machines in a single user interface, the method comprising the steps of: grouping a plurality of virtual machines into a configuration wherein at least some of the virtual machines separately execute operating systems; displaying a console of each virtual machine of the configuration simultaneously in the single user interface, the consoles defining applications and components of respective virtual machines, each of the displayed consoles provide the ability to manage operation of the associated virtual machine for the configuration through the single user interface; embedding for each virtual machine in the configuration, a corresponding client component in the single user interface; intercepting for each virtual machine in the configuration, the display of the console for the virtual machine; installing for each virtual machine in the configuration, a corresponding server component; routing for each virtual machine in the configuration, the intercepted display to the corresponding server component; and directing each installed server component to communicate with its corresponding client component; providing integrated access to console and local resource functionalities through the single user interface for each displayed virtual machine console so as to interact and control the operation of the corresponding virtual machine in the configuration, such that the separately executing operating systems are accessible through the single user interface, wherein access to the console functionality includes access to mouse, keyboard, screen and access to local resource functionality includes access to local devices at a host machine on which each of the virtual machines is executing, wherein the interaction includes managing changes to applications and components of the displayed consoles using the integrated access to the mouse, keyboard, screen and local resources, each of the multiple virtual machines has a microprocessor resource, the single user interface comprises a single browser window, and wherein a screen associated with the displayed console of each virtual machine in the single user interface is updated in real time.