Abstract: A file can be intelligently associated with an application. When a user attempts to open a file on a user computing device, context for the file can be collected and provided to an intelligent file association engine. The intelligent file association engine can use the context to select an application to be used to open the file from among different applications. These different applications can include a local application, a VDI application, and a cloud application.

Abstract: Storage can be allocated to workspaces in a ZFS-based environment. Workspaces can be associated with a workspace weightage. When a workspace is deployed on a client computing device, its workspace weightage can be used to determine an initial quota for a dataset to be created in a zpool for the workspace. The initial quota can be used to determine the size of the dataset. The workspace weightage may also be used to determine an expansion quota and a contraction quota that can be used to calculate the size of an expansion or contraction respectively. The use of workspace weightages and their associated quotas can ensure that the zpool is fairly shared by the various datasets that may be created therein for workspaces deployed on the client computing device.

Abstract: Storage can be allocated to workspaces in a ZFS-based environment. Workspaces can be associated with a workspace weightage. When a workspace is deployed on a client computing device, its workspace weightage can be used to determine an initial quota for a dataset to be created in a zpool for the workspace. The initial quota can be used to determine the size of the dataset. The workspace weightage may also be used to determine an expansion quota and a contraction quota that can be used to calculate the size of an expansion or contraction respectively. The use of workspace weightages and their associated quotas can ensure that the zpool is fairly shared by the various datasets that may be created therein for workspaces deployed on the client computing device.

Abstract: An application can be installed, updated or reconfigured without disabling a write filter. When a package is to be deployed to a client terminal to install, update or reconfigure an application, an overlay optimizer can be instructed to start a session. During the session, the overlay optimizer can analyze I/O requests to identify any I/O request that pertains to the deployment of the package. The overlay optimizer can then redirect the identified I/O requests to a session overlay that the overlay optimizer has created for the session rather than passing the I/O requests to the write filter. As a result, the artifacts that are affected by the deployment of the package will be stored in the session overlay rather than the write filter's overlay. Once the session is completed, the overlay optimizer can copy the artifacts from the session overlay to the write filter's overlay and commit them.

Abstract: A disk-based write filter can include a filter driver that is loaded below the file system driver to thereby provide write filter functionality at the disk level, and a supporting driver that is loaded above the file system driver. When an excluded file is opened, the supporting driver can obtain the file's disk sector information and provide it to the filter driver to cause the filter driver to pass through I/O requests that target sectors defined in the file's disk sector information. When the excluded file is closed, the supporting driver can again obtain the file's disk sector information and provide it to the filter driver to allow the filter driver to identify any additional sectors that may have been allocated to the file. The filter driver can copy any such sectors from an overlay to disk and commence passing through I/O requests that target these sectors.

Abstract: An overlay optimizer can enhance the functionality of a write filter using an auxiliary overlay. An overlay optimizer can be loaded above a write filter. Based on the configuration of the write filter's overlay, the overlay optimizer can be configured to implement a volatile or persistent auxiliary overlay and then use the auxiliary overlay to selectively cache artifacts. To minimize the likelihood that the consumption of the write filter's overlay will exceed a critical threshold, the overly optimizer can be provided a list of monitored artifacts. The overlay optimizer can employ the list to selectively move monitored artifacts from the write filter's overlay to the auxiliary overlay when the overlay's consumption reaches a threshold. The overlay optimizer may also selectively allow I/O requests generated by particular applications while redirecting I/O requests generated by other applications.

Abstract: The amount of data that is written to disk is minimized when an overlay optimizer is used in conjunction with a write filter to prevent the overlay from becoming full. An overlay optimizer minifilter can be used to intercept writes that were initiated by the overlay optimizer's request to commit files cached in the write filter's overlay to thereby extract only the modified portions of the files that are actually stored in the overlay. The overlay optimizer minifilter can then write these modified portions of the files, as opposed to the entire files, in the overlay cache. Directory change notifications are also enabled when a write filter is employed as well as in other multi-volume filter environments.

Abstract: USB devices can be redirected from hardware isolated VDI clients. When a VDI client is run in a hardware isolated environment, a notification service can also be run in the hardware isolated environment to enable a USB device that is not accessible within the hardware isolated environment to be redirected to a server on which the VDI client has established a remote session. In some cases, an agent can also be employed in the hardware isolated environment to temporarily redirect the USB device to the hardware isolated environment for use in establishing the remote session before the USB device is redirected to the server. Similar techniques can be employed to redirect a USB device to a hardware isolated environment so that the USB device can be accessed by an application running in the hardware isolated environment.

Abstract: USB devices can be redirected from hardware isolated VDI clients. When a VDI client is run in a hardware isolated environment, a notification service can also be run in the hardware isolated environment to enable a USB device that is not accessible within the hardware isolated environment to be redirected to a server on which the VDI client has established a remote session. In some cases, an agent can also be employed in the hardware isolated environment to temporarily redirect the USB device to the hardware isolated environment for use in establishing the remote session before the USB device is redirected to the server. Similar techniques can be employed to redirect a USB device to a hardware isolated environment so that the USB device can be accessed by an application running in the hardware isolated environment.

Abstract: An overlay optimizer can enhance the functionality of a write filter using an auxiliary overlay. An overlay optimizer can be loaded above a write filter. Based on the configuration of the write filter's overlay, the overlay optimizer can be configured to implement a volatile or persistent auxiliary overlay and then use the auxiliary overlay to selectively cache artifacts. To minimize the likelihood that the consumption of the write filter's overlay will exceed a critical threshold, the overly optimizer can be provided a list of monitored artifacts. The overlay optimizer can employ the list to selectively move monitored artifacts from the write filter's overlay to the auxiliary overlay when the overlay's consumption reaches a threshold. The overlay optimizer may also selectively allow I/O requests generated by particular applications while redirecting I/O requests generated by other applications.

Abstract: A disk-based write filter can include a filter driver that is loaded below the file system driver to thereby provide write filter functionality at the disk level, and a supporting driver that is loaded above the file system driver. When an excluded file is opened, the supporting driver can obtain the file's disk sector information and provide it to the filter driver to cause the filter driver to pass through I/O requests that target sectors defined in the file's disk sector information. When the excluded file is closed, the supporting driver can again obtain the file's disk sector information and provide it to the filter driver to allow the filter driver to identify any additional sectors that may have been allocated to the file. The filter driver can copy any such sectors from an overlay to disk and commence passing through I/O requests that target these sectors.

Abstract: The amount of data that is written to disk is minimized when an overlay optimizer is used in conjunction with a write filter to prevent the overlay from becoming full. An overlay optimizer minifilter can be used to intercept writes that were initiated by the overlay optimizer's request to commit files cached in the write filter's overlay to thereby extract only the modified portions of the files that are actually stored in the overlay. The overlay optimizer minifilter can then write these modified portions of the files, as opposed to the entire files, in the overlay cache. Directory change notifications are also enabled when a write filter is employed as well as in other multi-volume filter environments.

Abstract: An application can be installed, updated or reconfigured without disabling a write filter. When a package is to be deployed to a client terminal to install, update or reconfigure an application, an overlay optimizer can be instructed to start a session. During the session, the overlay optimizer can analyze I/O requests to identify any I/O request that pertains to the deployment of the package. The overlay optimizer can then redirect the identified I/O requests to a session overlay that the overlay optimizer has created for the session rather than passing the I/O requests to the write filter. As a result, the artifacts that are affected by the deployment of the package will be stored in the session overlay rather than the write filter's overlay. Once the session is completed, the overlay optimizer can copy the artifacts from the session overlay to the write filter's overlay and commit them.

Abstract: VDI sessions and virtualized devices can be prioritized in Software-Defined Networks. A server-side agent can communicate with a management server to provide VDI session details indicative of how the VDI session is being employed. The management server can then update a flow table in a Software-Defined Network based on the VDI session details. In this way, the network traffic pertaining to a VDI session can be prioritized based on how the VDI session is being used. A flow table can also be updated in conjunction with commencing or completing an imaging process.

Abstract: Live imaging of a device can be performed. A client device can include at least two drives that are alternately employed to store the active OS partition. An imaging solution that executes on the active OS partition on a first drive can perform a live imaging process in which a second drive is fully imaged while the user continues to use the client device. Then, once the imaging of the second drive has been completed, the client device can be rebooted to cause the client device to boot from the second drive. In this way, the only downtime that a user may experience due to the imaging process is during the reboot. In a similar manner, when a client device includes only a single available drive, the drive can be divided into two or more sets of one or more partitions that are alternately employed as the active OS partition(s).

Abstract: VDI sessions and virtualized devices can be prioritized in Software-Defined Networks. A server-side agent can communicate with a management server to provide VDI session details indicative of how the VDI session is being employed. The management server can then update a flow table in a Software-Defined Network based on the VDI session details. In this way, the network traffic pertaining to a VDI session can be prioritized based on how the VDI session is being used. A flow table can also be updated in conjunction with commencing or completing an imaging process.

Abstract: Live imaging of a device can be performed. A client device can include at least two drives that are alternately employed to store the active OS partition. An imaging solution that executes on the active OS partition on a first drive can perform a live imaging process in which a second drive is fully imaged while the user continues to use the client device. Then, once the imaging of the second drive has been completed, the client device can be rebooted to cause the client device to boot from the second drive. In this way, the only downtime that a user may experience due to the imaging process is during the reboot. In a similar manner, when a client device includes only a single available drive, the drive can be divided into two or more sets of one or more partitions that are alternately employed as the active OS partition(s).

Abstract: System and method enabling multiple users to simultaneously share a client computing device are disclosed. Method includes retrieving a plurality of I/O device groups, wherein a first I/O device group in the plurality of I/O device groups is associated with a first group of input or output (IO) devices locally connected to a client computing device, and wherein a second I/O device group in the plurality of I/O device groups is associated with a second group of I/O devices locally connected to the client computing device. Method includes launching first and second instances of an application. Method includes associating the first instance of the application with the first I/O device group on the client computing device. Method includes associating the second instance of the application associated with the second I/O device group on the client computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for updating firmware include a firmware update module executing on a client device. A firmware package to be installed on the client device may be verified by the firmware update module, including verifying that firmware files included in the firmware package are intact prior to beginning a firmware update. Recovery logic for enabling a client device to boot-up from a functional partition after a failed firmware update may be provided. The recovery logic may ensure that, when a firmware update failure occurs, the client device may boot-up from a functional partition. A recovery process may back up certain components stored in the client device. An update status related to the firmware update process may be provided.

Abstract: The deployment and updating of applications and drivers on a client device having a write-filter is described. A first deployment extensible markup language (XML) configuration file is obtained for deploying a first application or driver at the client device. A first application or driver is deployed on the client device based on the first deployment XML configuration file, while the write-filter of the client device is disabled. The write-filter is enablable to prohibit a file stored on the client device with the write-filter enabled from persisting across a reboot of the device. Following the deployment, automatic updating is performed by determining whether an autoupdate is available, obtaining a second deployment XML configuration file for updating the first application or driver, and updating the first application or driver based on the second deployment XML configuration file, while the write-filter is disabled. The automatic updating may be repeated.