Vmware, Inc.

Srinivas Krishnamurti

Matthew Eccleston

Matthew David Ginzton

Gerald C Chen

Nick Michael Ryan

Scott W Devine

Lawrence S Rogel

Nicholas Michael Ryan

Julia B Austin

An administrator may set restrictions related to the operation of a virtual machine (VM), and virtualization software enforces such restrictions. There may be restrictions related to the general use of the VM, such as who may use the VM, when the VM may be used, and on what physical computers the VM may be used. There may be similar restrictions related to a general ability to modify a VM, such as who may modify the VM. There may also be restrictions related to what modifications may be made to a VM, such as whether the VM may be modified to enable access to various devices or other resources. There may also be restrictions related to how the VM may be used and what may be done with the VM. Information related to the VM and any restrictions placed on the operation of the VM may be encrypted to inhibit a user from circumventing the restrictions.

Enforcing restrictions related to a virtualized computer environment

One embodiment is a method of controlling usage in a virtualized mobile device including virtualization software that supports one or more virtual machines, the method including: (a) receiving control information at the virtualized mobile device that includes one or more limits pertaining to one or more uses of the virtualized mobile device; (b) collecting usage information relating to the one or more uses; (c) determining whether usage information corresponding to one of the one or more uses exceeds a corresponding one of the one or more limits; and if so; (d) carrying out a predetermined action relating to the one of the one or more uses.

Controlling usage in mobile devices via a virtualization software layer

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Srinivas Krishnamurti