Executing a multicomponent software application on a virtualized computer platform

Abstract

A virtualized computer platform is established and maintained by virtualization software on one or more physical computers. A multicomponent software application may execute on the virtualized computer platform, with different components of the application executing in different virtual machines, which are supported by the virtualization software. The virtualization software may also provide the provision of one or more services that may be beneficial to the operation of the multicomponent software application, such as automated provisioning, resource allocation, VM distribution, performance monitoring, resource management, high availability, backup, disaster recovery, alarms, security, etc. In some embodiments of the invention, some of these services are provided through coordinated efforts of a system resource manager, a VM manager, an application monitor and an application resource manager. In some of these embodiments, an application monitor and an application manager may be included with a multicomponent software application in a single installation package.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for supporting the execution of a multicomponent software application (MCSA) in a virtual computer system, the method comprising:
 obtaining information about the MCSA, the information including resource requirements of individual components of the MCSA and performance objectives of at least some of the individual components;   obtaining information about computing resources of multiple virtual machines (VMs) in the virtual computer system;   using computer software to determine an allocation of the computing resources among the multiple VMs in which the multiple components of the MCSA are to execute, the determination of the allocation being based on the information about the MCSA and the information about the computing resources of the VMs;   monitoring performance of the MCSA during execution of the multiple components, the monitoring being specific to the performance objectives of at least some of the individual components of the MCSA; and   based on the monitoring that is specific to the performance objectives of at least some of the individual components, using computer software to automatically adjust the allocation of the MCSA computing resources among the VMs in which the components of the MCSA execute.