Abstract: A system and method for opening a file in a virtualization workspace of a host computer system. The host computer system includes a virtualization workspace including a virtualization agent and virtual software layers. The virtualization agent detects a request to open a file in the virtualization workspace. In response to detecting the request, the virtualization agent determines that the file includes embedded metadata. The virtualization agent uses the embedded metadata to identify a virtual software layer in which to open the file, activates the virtual software layer, and opens the file using an application that is included in the identified virtual software layer. The virtual software layer includes one or more applications and the embedded metadata includes a signature corresponding to one of the applications with which to open the file. The identified virtual software layer is installed on the host computer system subsequent to being identified.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method may include identifying first and second sublayers of a virtualized application. The first and/or second virtualization sublayers may include a read-write sublayer, a read-only sublayer, a virtual-reset-point sublayer, and/or a patch sublayer. The computer-implemented method may also include merging an instance of the first virtualization sublayer with an instance of the second virtualization sublayer. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method may include identifying a first version of a virtualized application. The first version of the virtualized application may include a first read-only virtualization sublayer, and the first read-only virtualization sublayer may provide a base state of the first version of the virtualized application. The method may also include identifying a second version of the virtualized application. The second version of the virtualized application may include a second read-only virtualization sublayer, which may provide a base state of the second version of the virtualized application. The method may further include determining a difference between the first read-only virtualization sublayer and the second read-only virtualization sublayer and using the difference to create a patch configured to update an instance of the first version of the virtualized application to an instance of the second version of the virtualized application. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method may include identifying a virtualized application that has a read-only virtualization sublayer and a read-write virtualization sublayer. The read-only virtualization sublayer may represent a base state of the virtualized application and the read-write virtualization sublayer may be configured to store changes to the base state of the virtualized application. The method may also include determining a first difference between the read-only virtualization sublayer and the read-write virtualization sublayer at a first point in time and using the first difference between the read-only virtualization sublayer and the read-write virtualization sublayer to create a first snapshot that represents a state of the virtualized application at the first point in time. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method may include identifying first and second sublayers of a virtualized application. The first and/or second virtualization sublayers may include a read-write sublayer, a read-only sublayer, a virtual-reset-point sublayer, and/or a patch sublayer. The computer-implemented method may also include merging an instance of the first virtualization sublayer with an instance of the second virtualization sublayer. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.