Dynamic Virtual Disk Application Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing application delivery systems face inefficiencies due to significant time delays in application deployment, especially over wide area networks, and complexities in managing and removing applications on endpoint devices, which hinder productivity and compliance.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically creates a virtual application storage volume with a minimal subset of files, allowing immediate functionality while streaming the remaining files in the background, using a virtual disk and stub files to enable on-demand access, decoupling the application from the operating system and simplifying remote management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all application files are downloaded before making the application available to the user, then the application can be fully functional, but the deployment time becomes significantly long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application files into two categories: a minimal subset required for immediate functionality and remaining files for full functionality. The minimal subset is downloaded and made available immediately, while remaining files are streamed on-demand in the background, resolving the contradiction between immediate availability and full functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by downloading and preparing only the minimal subset of files needed for basic application functionality before making the application available to the user. This allows the application to be deployed immediately with core functionality, while remaining files are prepared and streamed in the background as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If application files are distributed across various locations in the operating system, then the application can integrate well with the OS, but the process of adding and removing applications becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the application files from the traditional distributed installation model and consolidates them into a single virtual disk container. This virtual disk can be mounted to a standard location in the operating system, maintaining OS integration while simplifying management by treating the entire application as a single removable unit that can be easily added or removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual disk as an intermediary layer between the application files and the operating system. This virtual disk acts as a mediator that provides standard mounting interfaces to the OS while containing all application files in a manageable package, simplifying the addition and removal processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for delivering an application to a computing device by dynamically creating an application storage volume, such as a virtual disk, based on a minimal subset of application files downloaded from a remote server and attaching the virtual disk to the computing device in order to make the application executable from the virtual disk. The minimal subset of files access to at least some portion of the functionality of the application. Dynamically creating the virtual disk can be completed quickly and the minimal subset of application files is smaller than the full size of the application, which improves the speed of application delivery to the device. After the virtual disk is attached, the user can begin working on the application, while the remaining files are streamed to the virtual disk both as an ongoing background process and in response to on-demand requests, transparently from the user's perspective.