Modifying a state of a virtual machine

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method for modifying a state of a virtual machine, information between two states of a virtual machine is compared, wherein the two states include a current state of the virtual machine and previous state of the virtual machine. The previous state of the virtual machine is included within a snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state. Information that is different between the two states is identified. The information that is different between the two states is presented, wherein the information that is different is selectable for copying between the two states.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for modifying a state of a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 comparing information between two states of a virtual machine, wherein the two states comprise a current state of the virtual machine and previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine is deployed and displayed as a first virtual machine in a first console of a host computer system and wherein the previous state of the virtual machine is comprised within a snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state, the comparing comprising:
 deploying a second virtual machine of the snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state in a second console of the host computer system, the second virtual machine executing the previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the first console and the previous state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the second console are concurrently active within the host computer system; and 
 collecting information from the first virtual machine in the first console and the second virtual machine in the second console for use in comparing the current state to the previous state; 
   responsive to the comparing, identifying information that is different between the two states; and   presenting the information that is different between the two states, wherein the information that is different is selectable for copying between the two states.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the previous state of the virtual machine is comprised within a snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying information that is different between the two states further comprises:
 comparing file systems of the current state and the previous state.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to a selection of selected information for copying between the two states, modifying the current state to comprise the selected information.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the modifying the current state to comprise the selected information comprises:
 provided the selected information has associated information in the current state, replacing the associated information in the current state with the selected information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the selected information comprises the information of the previous state that is missing in the current state to address a performance degradation of the current state. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the modifying the current state further comprises:
 provided the selected information does not have associated information in the current state, adding the selected information to the current state.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 prior to modifying the current state to comprise the selected information, capturing a snapshot of the current state.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the previous state of the virtual machine is not modifiable. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current state is modified using an agent on the virtual machine. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information comprises files of the two states. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying information that is different between the two states comprises:
 identifying files of the two states having a same name, folder path, and different properties.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the properties are selected from a list consisting of:
 file size;   modification time; and   creation time.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying information that is different between the two states comprises:
 identifying files that are missing between the two states.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying information that is different between the two states comprises:
 performing a checksum operation on files of the two states having a same name and folder path; and   provided the checksum operation indicates that contents of the files of the two states having a same name and folder path are different, identifying the files as different.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information comprises actively running processes of the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored thereon for causing a host computer system to perform a method for modifying a state of a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 comparing information between two states of a virtual machine, wherein the two states comprise a current state of the virtual machine and previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine is deployed and displayed as a first virtual machine in a first console of a host computer system and wherein the previous state of the virtual machine is comprised within a snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state, the comparing comprising:
 deploying a second virtual machine of the snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state in a second console of the host computer system, the second virtual machine executing the previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the first console and the previous state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the second console are concurrently active within the host computer system; and 
 collecting information from the first virtual machine in the first console and the second virtual machine in the second console for use in comparing the current state to the previous state; 
   responsive to the comparing, identifying information that is different between the two states; and   presenting the information that is different between the two states, wherein the information that is different is selectable for copying between the two states.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
 responsive to a selection of selected information for copying between the two states, modifying the current state to comprise the selected information.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the modifying the current state to comprise the selected information comprises:
 provided the selected information has associated information in the current state, replacing the associated information in the current state with the selected information.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method for modifying a state of a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 comparing information between two states of a virtual machine, wherein the two states comprise a current state of the virtual machine and previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine is deployed and displayed as a first virtual machine in a first console of a host computer system and wherein the previous state of the virtual machine is comprised within a snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state, the comparing comprising:
 deploying a second virtual machine of the snapshot of the virtual machine at the previous state in a second console of the host computer system, the second virtual machine executing the previous state of the virtual machine, wherein the current state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the first console and the previous state of the virtual machine deployed and displayed in the second console are concurrently active within the host computer system; and 
 collecting information from the first virtual machine in the first console and the second virtual machine in the second console for use in comparing the current state to the previous state, wherein the information comprises actively running processes of the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine; 
   responsive to the comparing, identifying information that is different between the two states; and   presenting the information that is different between the two states, wherein the information that is different is selectable for copying between the two states; and   responsive to a selection of selected information for copying between the two states, modifying the current state of the virtual machine to comprise the selected information.