Abstract: Virtual machines and hosts of virtual machines are dynamically organized and managed in accordance with specific properties of the virtual machines and hosts. A system can be browsed for virtual machines/hosts having a specific property(s). Properties and property values are represented by a hierarchical structure of folders and subfolders, and/or in a textual hierarchical directory structure. Selection of a property value results in the virtual machines/hosts having the selected property value attributed thereto. Browsing can also be accomplished via a hierarchical textual directory structure. A virtual machine can be selected to navigate the virtual and view its constituents. Properties, property values, virtual machines, and hosts can be added, deleted, and/or modified.

Abstract: Virtual machine hard drive image files (VHDs) are stored in a virtual machine image store by a virtual machine image server. The BITS protocol with integrated Remote Differential Compression (RDC) is used to transfer one or more VHDs to a virtual machine client. The RDC may compare segments of preexisting VHDs on the virtual machine client with segments of the requested VHDs to minimize the number of segments that are transferred to the virtual machine client. The requested VHD may then be reconstructed from the received segments and the segments preexisting on the virtual machine client. In addition, the host operating system or applications of the virtual machine client may also be used as a source of segments for the RDC, for example.