Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the creation of delta virtual machine (VM) images corresponding to changes in the state of a VM's virtual disk. A delta VM image includes metadata information corresponding to its virtual disk file as well as a virtual disk file of a parent VM image. The metadata information makes delta VM image uniquely identifiable such that they may be searched for and used for creating VMs.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the creation of delta virtual machine (VM) images corresponding to changes in the state of a VM's virtual disk. A delta VM image includes metadata information corresponding to its virtual disk file as well as a virtual disk file of a parent VM image. The metadata information makes delta VM image uniquely identifiable such that they may be searched for and used for creating VMs.

Abstract: Techniques for cost-driven approach to determine inventory layout in cloud computing environments are disclosed. In one example, a system includes a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory includes a cost-driven inventory management module to receive a cost budget for provisioning infrastructure objects in a cloud computing environment provided by at least one cloud service prosier, determine an inventory layout including a plurality of combinations of different types of infrastructure objects that are supported by the at least one cloud service provider based on the cost budget, and recommend a subset of combinations from the plurality of combinations of different types of infrastructure objects based on predetermined criteria.