Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for providing access to data comprising launching an image of a virtual machine, determining a file system or a storage container being unsupported by an operating system coupled to the virtual machine, mapping the file system or the storage container onto the operating system and accessing data within the file system or the storage container through the operating system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pre-fetching data to be streamed from a data storage to a user computer comprising the steps of determining information regarding a file type of a data file, establishing pre-fetch parameters in response to the information, accessing the data file and pre-fetching data blocks from the data file in accordance with the pre-fetch parameters is described.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises at least one computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to execute a virtual machine corresponding to a user. The system further comprises a storage subsystem configured to store data representing the virtual machine and at least one file server. The file server is coupled to a network to which the computer system is configured to be coupled, and is also coupled to the storage subsystem. The file server is configured to provide the computer system with access to the data representing the virtual machine from the storage subsystem over the network. In some embodiments, the computer system is configured for essentially continuous connection to the network during use. In other embodiments, the computer system is configured for intermittent connection to the network during use.

Abstract: A cluster comprises a plurality of computer systems, wherein each of the plurality of computer systems is configured to execute one or more virtual machines. Each of the plurality of computer systems comprises hardware and a plurality of instructions. The plurality of instructions, when executed on the hardware, migrates at least a first virtual machine executing on a first computer system of the plurality of computer systems to a second computer system of the plurality of computer systems. The plurality of instructions migrates the first virtual machine responsive to a first load of the first computer system prior to the migration exceeding a second load of the second computer system prior to the migration.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes detecting that an application in a first node is to failover; provisioning a second node to execute the application responsive to the detecting; and failing the application over from the first node to the second node. Additionally, embodiments comprising computer accessible media encoded with instructions which, when executed, implement the method are contemplated. In another embodiment, a system comprising a plurality of nodes. A first node of the plurality of nodes is configured to monitor performance of an application executing on a second node of the plurality of nodes during use. In response to a detection that the application is to failover from the first node, a third node is configured to be provisioned to execute the application. The application is failed over to the third node during use.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer accessible medium comprises instructions which, when executed, check a first storage from which a computer system is configured to boot for a block identified in a read request. The block is included within an image of a set of software resources to be provisioned on the computer system. If the block is stored in the first storage, the instructions supply the block from the first storage in response to the read request. Otherwise, the instructions: fetch the block from an image repository system that stores the image; store the block in the first storage; and supply the block in response to the read request. In another embodiment, the instructions store a block identified in a write request to the first storage. The instructions record that the block is modified in the first storage with respect to the image stored in an image repository system.

Abstract: A cluster comprises a plurality of computer systems, wherein each of the plurality of computer systems is configured to execute one or more virtual machines. Each of the plurality of computer systems comprises hardware and a plurality of instructions. The plurality of instructions, when executed on the hardware, migrates at least a first virtual machine executing on a first computer system of the plurality of computer systems to a second computer system of the plurality of computer systems. The plurality of instructions migrates the first virtual machine responsive to a first load of the first computer system prior to the migration exceeding a second load of the second computer system prior to the migration.