Method and system for grid-enabled virtual machines with distributed management of applications

摘要

A method, apparatus, computer program product, and data processing system provide for operation of a virtual machine with embedded functionality for interoperating with other virtual machines in a computational grid. A plurality of virtual machines are run on one or more devices within a data processing system; each virtual machine incorporates functionality for interoperating and associating with other virtual machines in a virtual machine cluster in a grid-like manner. Each virtual machine in the virtual machine cluster acts as a node within the virtual machine cluster. The virtual machines share information such that a virtual machine may be added to the virtual machine cluster or such that a virtual machine may be removed from the virtual machine cluster as the virtual machine cluster continues to run. Load-balancing operations may be performed within the virtual machine cluster, and threads and objects may be moved within the virtual machine cluster.