Distributed Application Virtualization for Network Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional system restore technologies are limited in managing changes to file systems and registry data across a network, leading to instability and difficulties in maintaining large networks with unique configurations, as they require significant memory resources and are not universally applicable.
Innovation Solution
Distributed application virtualization allows for the virtual installation of software, redirecting file and registry changes to separate areas, enabling granular control over virtualization operations to protect systems from unwanted changes, such as rogue installations, without altering the base file system and configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional system restore technologies are used to manage changes to file systems and registry data, then individual computing systems can be restored to previous states, but significant memory resources are tied up in each computing system and snapshots cannot be universally applied across the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines snapshot storage from multiple computing systems into a centralized network location. Instead of each system maintaining separate snapshots locally, the system administrator captures snapshots from multiple systems and stores them in a shared network repository, allowing universal access and application across the network while reducing per-system memory requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universally applicable snapshots that can be applied to multiple computing systems across the network. By capturing snapshots at a network level and storing them in a centralized location, a single snapshot can serve multiple systems regardless of their base operating systems, enabling cross-system restoration capabilities
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional system restore technologies are used, then individual computing systems can be restored, but coordination of network-wide restore operations ties up significant memory resources in each network administering system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network administrator system as an intermediary that coordinates restore operations across the network. This administrator system manages snapshot distribution and restoration coordination without requiring each individual system to maintain full snapshot copies, thereby reducing per-system memory requirements while enabling network-wide restore capabilities
3Ease of operation
If operations are executed that update file system and registry data, then computer programs can be installed and configured, but the computing device becomes susceptible to unwanted deletions, data redundancies, versioning issues, and conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures snapshots of file system and registry data before operations are executed. By creating these baseline snapshots in advance, the system can restore to known good states if problems occur, preventing unwanted deletions, data redundancies, versioning issues, and conflicts while still allowing normal software installation and configuration operations to proceed
Data Source
AI summary
Distributed application virtualization provides for the distribution, configuration and control of multiple application components, layered file systems, and configuration settings that may be applied on top of an operating system of each system configured to work in conjunction with other systems within a single distributed virtualization layer. A distributed software virtualization manager or service handles communication between systems within each distributed virtual layer. One distributed virtualization operation activates components, selected based on user-defined parameters, on systems across the network belonging to a selected distributed virtual application layer. Other virtualization operations, whether local and/or distributed, include capturing file system and configuration activity associated with the detected event and storing data representative of the captured file system and configuration activity to a virtual layer, such as a local or distributed application layer.