Ryan W Partridge

US Patent:

20070209035, Sep 6, 2007

Filed:

Mar 3, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/368195

Inventors:

Kelly Sonderegger - Santaquin UT, US
Ryan Partridge - Provo UT, US

Assignee:

Novell, Inc. - Provo UT

International Classification:

G06F 9/455

US Classification:

718001000

Abstract:

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for instantiating a virtual machine on a computer by way of a physical peripheral device is provided. A virtual machine image may be composed on a portable memory device, such as a USB-flash memory device. Insertion of the physical device in a peripheral terminal is detected by a host function or module, and the physical device is evaluated to determine whether a virtual machine is defined thereby. In the event that the physical device includes a virtual machine image, the host reads the virtual machine image from the physical device and allocates a virtual machine per the read virtual machine image.