Compatibility-based configuration of hardware with virtualization software

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9600310-B2
Application number	US-201314145597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the use of a computer system with virtualization software. During operation, the system obtains a set of hardware attributes from the computer system and a hardware compatibility list (HCL) for the virtualization software. Next, the system uses the hardware attributes and the HCL to predict a compatibility of a hardware component in the computer system with the virtualization software. The system then uses the predicted compatibility to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating the use of a computer system with virtualization software, comprising:
obtaining a set of hardware attributes from the computer system and a hardware compatibility list (HCL) for the virtualization software;
using the hardware attributes and the HCL to predict a compatibility of a hardware component in the computer system with the virtualization software and a confidence in said predicted compatibility;
performing one or more tests associated with the virtualization software on the hardware component if the confidence falls below a pre-specified threshold; and
using the predicted compatibility, said confidence in said predicted compatibility and a result of said one or more tests to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software;
wherein the one or more tests comprise execution of a test virtual computing environment on the computer system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the HCL and the compatibility based on one or more results of the one or more tests.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the HCL is obtained from and updated using at least one of:
a portable storage device; and
a server.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more tests comprise at least one of:
an automated test; and
interaction with a user of the computer system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the confidence is determined based on at least one of:
an amount of compatibility information for the hardware component in the HCL; and
a consistency of the compatibility information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein using the hardware attributes and the HCL to predict the compatibility of a hardware component with the virtualization software involves:
matching a subset of the hardware attributes associated with the hardware component to one or more reports in the HCL; and
using the one or more reports to predict the compatibility.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein using the predicted compatibility to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software involves at least one of:
generating an alert associated with the predicted compatibility;
providing a list of compatible hardware to a user of the computer system;
modifying an installation of the virtualization software on the computer system;
modifying execution of the virtualization software on the computer system; and
modifying execution of the hardware component.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted compatibility comprises at least one of:
a level of function;
a performance;
a reliability;
a functioning feature; and
a non-functioning feature.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the set of hardware attributes comprises at least one of:
a name;
a hardware class;
a manufacturer;
a model number;
a firmware version;
a hardware version; and
a serial number.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the compatibility is predicted during at least one of:
installation of the virtualization software;
execution of the virtualization software;
updating of the virtualization software; and
updating of the hardware component.

11. A system for facilitating the use of a computer system comprising at least one processor with virtualization software, the system comprising:
a scanning mechanism stored in at least one memory configured to obtain a set of hardware attributes from the computer system, wherein the at least one processor and at least one memory are communicably coupled;
an analysis apparatus executed by the at least one processor configured to use the hardware attributes and a hardware compatibility list (HCL) for the virtualization software to predict a compatibility of a hardware component in the computer system with the virtualization software and a confidence in said predicted compatibility and to perform one or more tests associated with the virtualization software on the hardware component if the confidence falls below a pre-specified threshold; and
a management apparatus executed by the at least one processor configured to use the predicted compatibility, said confidence in said predicted compatibility and a result of said one or more tests to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software;
wherein the one or more tests comprise execution of a test virtual computing environment on the computer system.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the analysis apparatus executed by the at least one processor is further configured to:
update the HCL and the compatibility based on one or more results of the one or more tests.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more tests executed by the at least one processor comprise at least one of:
an automated test; and
interaction with a user of the computer system.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the confidence is determined executed by the at least one processor based on at least one of:
an amount of compatibility information for the hardware component in the HCL; and
a consistency of the compatibility information.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein using the hardware attributes and the HCL to predict the compatibility of a hardware component with the virtualization software involves:
matching executed by the at least one processor a subset of the hardware attributes associated with the hardware component to one or more reports in the HCL; and
using executed by the at least one processor the one or more reports to predict the compatibility.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein using the predicted compatibility to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software involves at least one of:
generating executed by the at least one processor an alert associated with the predicted compatibility;
providing executed by the at least one processor a list of compatible hardware to a user of the computer system;
modifying executed by the at least one processor an installation of the virtualization software on the computer system;
modifying execution by the at least one processor of the virtualization software on the computer system; and
modifying execution by the at least one processor of the hardware component.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating the use of a computer system with virtualization software, the method comprising:
obtaining a set of hardware attributes from the computer system and a hardware compatibility list (HCL) for the virtualization software;
using the hardware attributes and the HCL to predict a compatibility and a confidence in said predicted compatibility of a hardware component in the computer system with the virtualization software;
performing one or more tests associated with the virtualization software on the hardware component if the confidence falls below a pre-specified threshold; and
using the predicted compatibility, said confidence in said predicted compatibility and a result of said one or more tests to manage use of the computer system with the virtualization software;
wherein the one or more tests comprise execution of a test virtual computing environment on the computer system.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising:
updating the HCL an

Assignees

• Open Invention Network Llc

Inventors

• Thomas Geoffrey G
• Whaley John
• Agashe Umesh

Classifications

• G06F9/45558 Primary

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F2009/45591

  Monitoring or debugging support · CPC title

• G06F8/61

  Installation · CPC title

• G06F9/5044

  considering hardware capabilities · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title