IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,912,617
Granted Patent B2
US 6,912,617 · App. 10/198,578 · Granted Jun 28, 2005

Altering virtual machine execution parameters at runtime

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,912,617
App. No.
10/198,578
Granted
Jun 28, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

An existing neutral operating system (OS) signal is utilized to notify a virtual machine (VM) about a change to its execution parameters. The signal is predefined to indicate that an execution parameter should be changed, and upon receipt, the VM may look up a file in a predefined location, the file containing the new command line parameters. The VM may then modify its parameters to match the file, and continue with its execution, thus providing a mechanism for altering VM execution parameters at runtime.

Claims (30)

1. A method for altering a virtual machine (VM) execution parameter value at runtime, comprising:

receiving a predefined neutral operating system (OS) signal, said predefined neutral OS signal indicating that an execution parameter should be modified;

accessing a file having a predefined file name and location, said file containing a new execution parameter value; and

modifying the VM execution parameter value to match said new execution parameter value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said VM execution parameter value is a VM execution command line parameter value.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said new execution parameter value is a new command line option.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said predefined location for said file is a predefined file system directory.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said predefined file system directory is write protected.

6. A method for causing alteration of a Virtual Machine (VM) execution parameter value at runtime, comprising:

creating a file containing a new execution parameter value in a predefined location; and

sending a predefined neutral Operating System (OS) signal to the VM, said predefined neutral OS signal indicating that an execution parameter should be modified and that the VM should access said file in said predefined location.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said VM execution parameter value is a VM execution command line parameter value.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said new execution parameter value is a new command line option.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said predefined file system directory is write protected.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said predefined location for said file is a predefined file system directory.

11. An apparatus for altering a virtual machine (VM) execution parameter value at runtime, comprising:

means for receiving a predefined neutral operating system (OS) signal, said predefined neutral OS signal indicating that an execution parameter should be modified;

means for accessing a file having a predefined file name and location, said file containing a new execution parameter value; and

means for modifying the VM execution parameter value to match said new execution parameter value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said VM execution parameter value is a VM execution command line parameter value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said new execution parameter value is a new command line option.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said predefined location for said file is a predefined file system directory.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said predefined file system directory is write protected.

16. An apparatus for causing alteration of a Virtual Machine (VM) execution parameter value at runtime, comprising:

means for creating a file in a predefined location containing a new execution parameter value; and

means for sending a predefined neutral OS signal to the VM, said predefined neutral Operating System (OS) signal indicating that an execution parameter should be modified, that the VM should access said file in said predefined location, and that the VM should modify the VM execution parameter value.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said VM execution parameter value is a VM execution command line parameter value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said new execution parameter value is a new command line option.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said predefined location for said file is a predefined file system directory.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said predefined file system directory is write protected.

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 12, 2015
From: ORACLE USA, INC.; SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.; ORACLE AMERICA, INC.
To: ORACLE AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 037278/0842 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2002
From: DMITRIEV, MIKHAIL A.
To: SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 013120/0154 →