Extension point declarative registration for virtualization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9262187-B2
Application number	US-70072310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2010
Priority date	Feb 5, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

An extension point virtualization system uses operating system-provided reparse points to provide minimal extension point registration. Reparse points preserve application isolation while removing the scale problem of writing custom extension point proxies for each extension point. Instead, the system can use a single file system filter that generically handles application virtualization reparse points, and store reparse point data for extension points that need redirection. Many extension points can be handled by redirecting the operating system from a typical location for an application resource to a virtualized safe location for the application resource. Thus, the system simplifies the process of handling new extension points by allowing an application virtualization system to simply register new locations that should be handled with reparse points and to then handle registered locations generically.

First claim

I claim:

1. A computer system for generically handling virtualization of operating system and application extension points, the system comprising:
a processor and memory configured to execute software instructions;
an extension point identification component configured to identify extension points through which an operating system or application can be extended by third party programmatic code;
an extension point data store configured to store identified extension points in a declarative format;
an application virtualization environment configured to provide a level of indirection between a virtual application and a host operating system;
an extension point registration component configured to detect installation of a virtual application package that references an identified extension point;
a reparse point creation component configured to create a reparse point for an identified extension point pointing to the detected virtual application package that references the identified extension point, wherein the reparse point prevents the virtual application package from modifying the operating system directly;
an extension point access component configured to detect access of the created reparse point and invoke an extension point redirection component;
and an extension point redirection component configured to cause the host operating system or an application to look for specified data referenced by a reparse point in a location associated with the detected virtual application package.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the extension point identification component is further configured to automatically identify extension points based on process monitoring to detect paths accessed by an application during execution.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the extension point data store comprises an XML file that includes a list of identified extension points.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the extension point data store is further configured to receive new extension points over time as they are discovered, so that previously deployed virtualized applications can benefit from increased operating system isolation by protection from modifications to the operating system previously undetected by the application environment.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the application virtualization environment is further configured to provide the virtual application with an environment for which the application was designed using the available resources of the host operating system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the extension point registration component is further configured to access the extension point data store to load a list of identified extension points and compare the list to a virtual application package invoked by a user.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the extension point access component is further configured to receive access information from a file system filter that is invoked when a created reparse point is accessed.

Assignees

• Sheehan John M
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Sheehan John M

Classifications

• G06F9/44521

  Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F9/45529

  Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser · CPC title

• G06F9/45533 Primary

  Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors · CPC title