Desktop Image Synchronization via Cloning and Smart Merging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for providing corporate computing environments to tablet users face challenges such as compatibility with non-Windows operating systems, limited write capabilities, security hazards, and high costs associated with centralized virtual desktop infrastructure, which result in poor user experience and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A Cloning and Synchronization System (CSS) that clones a centralized desktop image across multiple devices, including heterogeneous hardware, allowing for universal access while maintaining a native user experience through local execution, with near-continuous synchronization of user content and lazy synchronization of system content to reduce latency and bandwidth constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized virtual desktop infrastructure is used to provide corporate computing environments to tablet users, then universal access to corporate applications and data is achieved, but network latency and bandwidth constraints deteriorate user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the desktop environment into multiple components: a centralized virtual desktop image stored in the data center, and local device-specific instances that can operate independently. This allows users to access corporate applications through a lightweight client on their personal devices while maintaining a responsive local interface, thereby reducing network latency while preserving universal access capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring device-specific instances of the virtual desktop image on user devices before actual use. This includes pre-installing necessary software components, configuration files, and cached data locally, so that when users access their corporate environment, they experience minimal network dependency and reduced latency for common operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized virtual desktop infrastructure is deployed, then access to corporate applications is enabled, but compute and storage costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating lightweight local instances of the virtual desktop image on user devices rather than duplicating full virtual machine environments in the data center. These local copies contain only essential configuration data and cached information, allowing multiple users to access corporate applications simultaneously with minimal resource consumption at the centralized infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a single centralized virtual desktop image that can serve multiple different device types and operating systems. Instead of maintaining separate virtual desktop instances for each device, the system uses a universal image format that can be rendered locally on various personal devices (tablets, smartphones, laptops), eliminating the need for device-specific infrastructure duplication.
3Adaptability or versatility
If remote desktop protocol is used to connect tablet devices to personal PCs, then access to corporate environment is achieved, but the solution fails when PCs are in sleep mode or located away from the office
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component in the form of a local device instance that acts as a bridge between the user's personal device and the centralized virtual desktop image. This intermediary can operate independently of the user's personal PC, using cached data and local rendering capabilities to maintain access to corporate applications even when the personal PC is unavailable, in sleep mode, or located away from the office network.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for n-way cloning and synchronization of a user desktop image are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cloning and Synchronization System (“CSS”) which binds a server stored CVD object representing the user's desktop image to one or more endpoint devices. Each endpoint device receives a clone of the CVD object that comprises one or more layers of the server CVD depending upon the suitability of the endpoint device hardware and operating system to the server stored desktop. The cloned CVDs in the endpoint devices are then kept synchronized by synchronization operations. In one embodiment, the CSS allows only one endpoint device to push up changes to the server CVD. User files are synchronized with the all endpoints using a live sync process. System and managed applications may be intelligently merged into an inactive device rather than overwriting data modified on the inactive device.