Patent ID: 7546599

Claim:
A method comprising: virtualizing a virtual machine monitor with a virtual management device, wherein the virtual management device is created by the virtual machine monitor as a virtual device with a host environment, wherein the virtual management device is created to be compliant with a device standard and wherein the virtual management device is not connected to a real instance of a device within the host environment; generating with the virtual machine monitor a virtual machine comprising a management device driver; transmitting from the virtual machine an instruction for a resource accessible by the virtual machine monitor, wherein the management device driver translates the instruction into an instruction that complies with the device standard and the management device driver directs the virtual management device to operate in one of a plurality of modes corresponding to a plurality of device functions by transmitting the instruction, wherein said plurality of modes comprises a chat mode, a file transfer mode, and a statistic mode; defining a management core of said virtual machine monitor, said management core suitable for monitoring said instruction; monitoring the instruction in the virtual machine monitor, on delivery to the virtual management device from the management device driver; accepting the instruction for processing by the virtual machine monitor through the virtual management device; and reloading the management device driver by the virtual machine monitor without disruption to the operation of the virtual machine.