MANAGING VIRTUAL MACHINE SECURITY RESOURCES

In a virtualized environment where multiple guest virtual machines receive security services from multiple security virtual machines, a guest virtual machine automatically transitions to a new virtual security machine under various conditions. For example, the guest virtual machine may select a new security virtual machine when connectivity to the current security virtual machine degrades below a predetermined threshold, or in response to a request from the current security virtual machine indicating, e.g., that the current security virtual machine is about to shut down or otherwise terminate security services to the guest virtual machine.