Amazon patents cloud method to share OS files across servers
This patent describes a way for cloud providers to distribute operating system software to many virtual servers at once. Instead of copying the entire operating system to each server, it uses a shared, read-only storage volume for the base files and separate writable volumes for specific server data.
In the filing’s own words
An operating system, or operating system update, management service uses a shared read-only multi-attach volume of a block-based storage service to distribute operating systems or operating system updates to a set of virtualized computing instances. Also, to store launch specific information, that is specific to a given virtualized computing instance, additional writable volumes are used, wherein a write volume is attached to each of the computing instances of the set. This eliminates the need to provide a full copy of an OS volume to each of the computing instances.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system, comprising: one or more computing devices configured to implement a computing service; one or more computing devices configured to implement a block-based storage service, the block-based storage service configured to provide block-based storage to computing instances of the computing service; and one or more computing devices configured to implement an operating system management service, configured to: receive an instruction to deploy operating system software to a computing instance of the computing service, wherein the instruction specifies one or more additional features or updates to be included in the operating system software; cause the block-based storage service to provide a first volume for attachment to the computing instance to enable deployment of a base portion of the operating system software; and cause the block-based storage service to provide one or more other volumes for attachment to the computing instance to enable deployment of the additional features or updates; wherein: read operations are performed on the first volume attached to the computing instance to deploy the base portion of the operating system software on the computing instance; and read operations are performed on the one or more other volumes attached to the computing instance to deploy the additional features or updates for the operating system on the computing instance.
Facts
- Company
- Amazon (Amazon Technologies, Inc.)
- Official title
- Management of operating system software using read-only multi-attach block volumes
- Patent number
- US12737136B2
- Application number
- 19008450
- Filed
- Jan 2, 2025
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 3/064 Physics & computingG06F 3/0604 Physics & computingG06F 3/0683 Physics & computingMore from Amazon in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.