Abstract: Techniques are provided for desktop streaming over wide area networks. In one embodiment, a computing device comprises pivot logic that is configured to be executed during a first boot of an operating system on a computing device as a pivot process that is the only process running when performing modifications to a file system on the computing device. During execution, the pivot process replaces a current set of files in the file system with a new desktop image that represents a complete view of the file system. The desktop image includes a prefetch set of files, but other files in the desktop image are represented by file metadata. The prefetch set of files includes a smallest subset of files that is needed to boot the computing device without requiring retrieval of additional files. During execution, the pivot process terminates the first boot and to invoke a second boot that is executed based on the prefetch set of files included in the new desktop image.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for desktop streaming over wide area networks. In one embodiment, a computing device comprises logic that is configured to intercept file open requests for files stored in a file system, where at least some of the files in the file system may have not yet been fully downloaded. In response to a request to open a file, the logic is configured to modify a first sharing mode specified therein and to open the file in a read-write sharing mode that allows other processes to open the file. While one or more blocks of the file are being downloaded or written into the file, the logic is configured to check whether a second sharing mode received in a subsequent request to open the file is compatible with the first sharing mode. If the second sharing mode is not compatible with the first sharing mode, the logic is configured to deny the subsequent request even though in the file system the file is opened in the read-write sharing mode.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for desktop delivery in a distributed enterprise. In one embodiment, a system comprises multiple computing devices that are communicatively connected to a data center. The data center comprises a separate virtual disk for each separate computing device. A virtual disk for a computing device comprises an image that includes: an Operating system (OS) for the computing device; one or more applications for a user of the computing device; a machine profile associated with the computing device; and user data and settings that are specific for the user of the computing device.