Patent ID: 8776055

Claim:
A system comprising: a memory storing a plurality of profiles defining a plurality of rules that affect operation of a virtual machine, the plurality of profiles including a first profile that defines at least a first and a second profile that defines at least a second rule that conflicts with the first rule, wherein the first profile is associated with a first priority, and the second profile is associated with a second priority; and a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to: combine the first profile and the second profile based on the first priority and the second priority to create an effective profile, wherein the effective profile includes no conflicting rules and wherein the effective profile includes one of the first and second rules from one of the first and second profiles and at least one non-conflicting rule from the other profile; and apply the effective profile to the virtual machine, wherein the functional computing object is a third functional computing object positioned below a first functional computing object and a second functional computing object in a predetermined hierarchy, the first functional computing object associated with the first profile, the second functional computing object associated with the second profile, and wherein the processor is further programmed to: determine the first priority based on a distance of the first functional computing object to the third functional computing object in the hierarchy; and determine the second priority based on a distance of the second functional computing object to the third functional object in the hierarchy.