Methods and apparatus to manage asset capabilities in a computing environment using a common agent framework

1. A method comprising:

maintaining a catalog of capabilities available to a virtualization asset based on plugins installed at the virtualization asset;

in response to a request from a virtualization asset management application, determining whether a capability identified in a list of capabilities of the virtualization asset management application is installed at the virtualization asset based on the catalog of capabilities, the virtualization asset executing in a first container operating on top of a host operating system without the need for a hypervisor, the first container isolating the virtualization asset from applications executing in a second container operating on top of the host operating system, the first container not instantiating its own operating system;

installing the capability at the virtualization asset when the capability is not installed at the virtualization asset;

receiving, at the virtualization asset, a request to perform the capability from the virtualization asset management application, the request to perform the capability including a capability identifier corresponding to the capability;

validating, via a processor, the request; and

in response to the validating, performing the capability, wherein performing the capability includes mapping, via the catalog of capabilities, the capability identifier to a plugin identifier, and executing a plugin corresponding to the plugin identifier.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein maintaining the catalog of capabilities includes:

registering a plugin in an inventory of plugins;

retrieving a set of capabilities provided by the plugin; and

updating the catalog of capabilities to include the set of capabilities.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein registering the plugin in the inventory includes:

recording a plugin identifier associated with the plugin in the inventory; and

recording a reference to a plugin invoker associated with the plugin, the plugin invoker facilitating executing the plugin at the virtualization asset.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 , wherein the plugin identifier includes a namespace, a name and a version.

5. A method as defined in claim 3 , wherein retrieving the set of capabilities includes calling the plugin invoker to provide the set of capabilities.

6. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein updating the catalog of capabilities includes:

logging the set of capabilities in the catalog of capabilities;

logging arguments needed to execute the respective capabilities; and

mapping the respective capabilities to the plugin.

7. A method as defined in claim 2 , further including transmitting the catalog of capabilities to an application in communication with the virtualization asset.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 , further including encrypting a message including the catalog of capabilities.

9. A method as defined in claim 7 , further including transmitting the catalog of capabilities in response to a request received by the application.

10. A method as defined in claim 7 , further including transmitting the catalog of capabilities in response to updating the catalog of capabilities.

11. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein validating the request includes decrypting the message.

12. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the capability identifier includes at least a class namespace, a class name, a class version or a capability name.

13. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein executing the plugin includes:

calling a plugin invoker to facilitate executing the plugin by loading a resource used by the plugin; and

invoking the plugin.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a plugins monitor to: (a) maintain a catalog of capabilities available to a virtualization asset based on plugins installed at the virtualization asset, and (b) in response to a request from a virtualization asset management application, determine whether a capability identified in a list of capabilities of the virtualization asset management application is installed at the virtualization asset based on the catalog of capabilities, the virtualization asset executing in a first container operating on top of a host operating system without the need for a hypervisor, the first container isolating the virtualization asset from applications executing in a second container operating on top of the host operating system, the first container not instantiating its own operating system;

a plugins registrar to install the capability at the virtualization asset when the capability is not installed at the virtualization asset;

a security engine to validate a request to perform the capability, the request to perform the capability including a capability identifier corresponding to the capability; and

a capabilities executor to, when the request to perform the capability is validated, map, via the catalog of capabilities, the capability identifier to a plugin identifier, and execute a plugin corresponding to the plugin identifier, at least one of the plugins monitor, the plugins registrar, the security engine or the capabilities executor including hardware.

15. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

maintain a catalog of capabilities available to a virtualization asset based on plugins installed at the virtualization asset;

in response to a request from a virtualization asset management application, determine whether a capability identified in a list of capabilities of the virtualization asset management application is installed at the virtualization asset based on the catalog of capabilities, the virtualization asset executing in a first container operating on top of a host operating system without the need for a hypervisor, the first container isolating the virtualization asset from applications executing in a second container operating on top of the host operating system, the first container not instantiating its own operating system;

install a capability at the virtualization asset when the capability is not installed at the virtualization asset;

validate a request to perform the capability, the request to perform the capability including a capability identifier corresponding to the capability; and

when the request to perform the capability is validated, map, via the catalog of capabilities, the capability identifier to a plugin identifier, and execute a plugin corresponding to the plugin identifier, the plugin to perform the capability.

16. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory including computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause a virtualization asset management application to:

determine whether a capability identified in a list of capabilities of the virtualization

asset management application is installed at a virtualization asset based on a catalog of capabilities available to the virtualization asset and based on plugins installed at the virtualization asset, the virtualization asset executing in a first container operating on top of a host operating system without the need for a hypervisor, the first container isolating the virtualization asset from applications executing in a second container operating on top of the host operating system, the first container not instantiating its own operating system; and

initiate installing the capability at the asset when the capability is not installed at the asset; and

a capabilities management agent to:

maintain the catalog of capabilities available to the asset;

validate a request to perform the capability, the request to perform the capability including a capability identifier corresponding to the capability; and

in response to the validating, map, via the catalog of capabilities, the capability identifier to a plugin identifier, and execute a plugin corresponding to the plugin identifier, the plugin, when executed, to perform the capability.