On-Demand Application Layering in Virtual Desktops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing custom images for a wide range of users in desktop virtualization is expensive and complex, leading to over-installation of applications beyond user needs, resulting in increased licensing costs and complexity due to the need for widespread software updates and testing.
Innovation Solution
A virtual server creates a single composited layered image with an application shortcut that represents an application without including it, allowing the application to be mounted on-demand when interacted with by the user, reducing licensing costs and simplifying management by only deploying the application when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If applications are pre-installed on virtual desktop images to ensure availability, then user access to applications is improved, but licensing costs and management complexity increase due to over-installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application delivery process into two distinct phases: a base image phase containing only application shortcuts (lightweight, quickly deployed) and an on-demand application phase where full applications are mounted only when users interact with shortcuts. This segmentation eliminates over-installation while ensuring applications are available when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions from a static base image to a dynamic state where applications are mounted on-demand based on user interaction. The virtual desktop environment adapts by mounting application layers only when shortcuts are activated, and can unmount them when no longer needed, optimizing resource usage and reducing licensing costs.
2Reliability
If applications are pre-installed on virtual desktop images, then application availability is improved, but licensing costs increase due to requiring licenses for all users consuming the image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the full application binaries from the base virtual desktop image, retaining only lightweight shortcuts that reference the applications. The actual application code is stored separately and mounted on-demand when users interact with shortcuts. This extraction eliminates the need to license applications for all image consumers while maintaining availability for actual users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses application shortcuts as lightweight copies or references to the full applications. These shortcuts contain minimal information (path references, metadata) rather than full application copies, allowing the system to provide application access without duplicating full application licenses across all users.
3Ease of manufacture
If a smaller number of base images are used to reduce management complexity, then ease of management is improved, but over-installation of applications occurs beyond individual user needs
Solution Approach 1:
The base virtual desktop image becomes universal by containing only application shortcuts rather than specific application installations. A single base image can serve multiple users with different application needs, as the actual applications are mounted dynamically based on individual user interactions. This universality eliminates over-installation waste while maintaining ease of image management.
4Reliability
If applications are updated across all deployed images, then software currency is improved, but testing requirements and downtime increase due to large number of desktops
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting applications from the base image and storing them separately, the system enables independent updating of application layers without affecting the base image or other applications. Updates can be applied to specific application layers on-demand, dramatically reducing the scope of testing and deployment time compared to updating all applications across all deployed images simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual server includes at least one processor to create a single composited layered image comprising an operating system layer and an application shortcut that includes a representation of an application while not including the application. The single composited layered image is provided as a virtual session to a client computing device. An application layer is mounted to the single composited layered image in response to a user of the client computing device interacting with the application shortcut, with the application layer including the application.