Using virtual machines and migration to move a user to a new cellphone/PDA device.

Using virtual machines and migration to move a user to a new cellphone /PDA device.

Upgrading a user to a replacement or new cell phone/pda device is a tedious process whereby the user is currently encumbered by moving hardware such as SIM cards, software such as applications, photos, and videos, and their user environment customization manually or through a combination of manual steps and services provided by the carrier remotely or at the POS.

To eliminate this encumbering process, the end user device such as a cell phone/PDA could run a virtual machine manager (VMM) or hypervisor. The user's custom environment (applications, files, licences, other customizations) would all be contained within a virtual machine image running on the device and managed by the VMM. The user can then migrate their virtual machine to another device running a VMM. The migration could be effected either live (vm is migrated while both devices are running and connected via a communication link) or cold (vm is shutdown and transferred to the other device). The user's data (files, phone book, profile, pictures, licenses, etc) are all secured within the VM image and would be moved to the new device by the migration without unnecessary complication and data security risks.

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