Virtual machine image server
First Claim
1. A method for downloading a virtual machine image file to a virtual machine client, comprising:
- selecting by the virtual machine client the virtual machine image file, wherein the selecting comprises selecting a first parameter identifying an operating system, and a second parameter identifying an application environment;
receiving the selected virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client from a virtual machine image file server; and
executing the virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client before the virtual machine image file has been completely received by the virtual machine client, wherein the executing comprises;
receiving a request to access a sector of the virtual machine image file by the virtual machine client;
determining if the requested sector has already been received by the virtual machine client;
accessing the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has previously been received by the virtual machine client; and
sending a message to the virtual machine image file server to prioritize the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has not previously been received by the virtual machine client, and then accessing the requested sector when the requested sector is later received by the virtual machine client.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Virtual machine image files are stored in a virtual machine storage by a virtual machine image file server. Users at virtual machine clients connect to the virtual machine image file server and are presented with a list of the available virtual machine image files in a virtual machine image store. Users of the virtual machine clients are able to select the desired virtual machine image, and begin executing in the selected virtual machine environment as soon as the selected virtual machine image file begins downloading to the client computer. When a virtual machine image file is selected for storage it is divided into several segments. Each segment is compared with segments of previously stored virtual machine image files already in storage. For example, only non-duplicate segments are stored.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for downloading a virtual machine image file to a virtual machine client, comprising:
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selecting by the virtual machine client the virtual machine image file, wherein the selecting comprises selecting a first parameter identifying an operating system, and a second parameter identifying an application environment; receiving the selected virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client from a virtual machine image file server; and executing the virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client before the virtual machine image file has been completely received by the virtual machine client, wherein the executing comprises; receiving a request to access a sector of the virtual machine image file by the virtual machine client; determining if the requested sector has already been received by the virtual machine client; accessing the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has previously been received by the virtual machine client; and sending a message to the virtual machine image file server to prioritize the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has not previously been received by the virtual machine client, and then accessing the requested sector when the requested sector is later received by the virtual machine client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A virtual machine client comprising:
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a processor operative to execute computer-executable instructions; and memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising; select a virtual machine image file for transfer from a virtual machine image file server, and execute the virtual machine image file before the virtual machine image file has completely transferred to the virtual machine client from the virtual machine image file server, wherein the executing comprises; receiving a request to access a sector of the virtual machine image file by the virtual machine client; determining if the requested sector has already been transferred to the virtual machine client; accessing the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has previously been transferred to the virtual machine client; and sending a message to the virtual machine image file server to prioritize the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has not previously been transferred to the virtual machine client, and then accessing the requested sector when the requested sector is later transferred to the virtual machine client. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-readable storage medium with computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of:
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select a virtual machine image file for transfer from a virtual machine image file server, and execute the virtual machine image file before the virtual machine image file has completely transferred to a virtual machine client from the virtual machine image file server, wherein the executing comprises; receiving a request to access a sector of the virtual machine image file by the virtual machine client; determining if the requested sector has already been transferred to the virtual machine client; accessing the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has previously been transferred to the virtual machine client; and sending a message to the virtual machine image file server to prioritize the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has not previously been transferred to the virtual machine client, and then accessing the requested sector when the requested sector is later transferred to the virtual machine client.
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Specification