Remote network access via virtual machine

摘要

A virtual machine project manager creates a generic, i.e., not user-specific, virtual machine image file. Copies of this image file may be distributed to one or more users, each of whom may then use an automated procedure to generate a user-specific virtual machine image file and, thus, a user-specific virtual machine on his/her remote host computer. The generic virtual machine image file may be distributed on computer-readable media, such as a DVD disks, or the file may be stored on a server and downloaded (such as via the Internet) by the users. Each user also receives or downloads a token, which contains a small amount of user-specific information that is used by the automated procedure to provision the generic virtual machine image file for the particular user. A virtual machine accesses a security token connected to a host computer to automatically authenticate or re-authenticate a user, such as when a virtual private network connection is restarted. Substantially identical session identifiers are used by a host computer and a virtual machine, or by two or more virtual machines and, when communicating with an integrated access server. A file server stores virtual machine images that are accessed by a plurality of host computers.

主权项

1. A method for configuring a virtual machine on a host computer, comprising:
executing the virtual machine on the host computer by a host operating system; sending, by the host operating system, information to an operating system of the virtual machine, the information comprising an attribute of the host operating system or an attribute of the host computer; creating, by the operating system of the virtual machine, a system initialization file for the operating system of the virtual machine, the system preparation file based on the information; storing, by the operating system of the virtual machine, the system initialization file in a file system of the operating system of the virtual machine; starting the operating system of the virtual machine based on the system initialization file; associating an image file of the virtual machine with a user; authorizing, at the operating system of the virtual machine, the user with login credentials received from the host operating system as a result of starting the operation system of the virtual machine; and logging into a user account of the user on the operating system of the virtual machine, based on the login credentials.