Abstract: A control protocol is used to deploy and install an operating system image to a client. The data structure of the protocol includes an operation code corresponding to an operation associated with the deployment and installation of an operating system image to a client. When the server receives a request packet, the server parses the request and sends the parsed request to the provider. The provider then executes the operation associated with the operation code and generates a return value. The return value is sent to the server. The server then composes a rely packet including the return value and transmits the reply packet to the client.

Abstract: Multiple providers of application logic are used to deploy and install an operating system image to a client. Each provider configured with application logic designed to deploy and install an operating system image to a distinct class of clients. When a server receives a request associated with deploying and installing the operating system image from the client, the server sends the request to the provider configured with application logic designed to deploy and install an operating system to the client.

Abstract: Approving a client to boot in a pre-boot execution environment. A request is received from the client to boot the client by a computing device. The request includes device information associated with the client. A data store having a collection of known device information is queried in response to the received request. The request is stored, and it is determined whether to execute the received request by evaluating the device information in the stored request. The received request is responded to as a function of the evaluated device information.

Abstract: Identifying characteristics of a client in a pre-boot environment. A packet is received from the client. The packet includes a request for an image to boot the client by a computing device. An application is transmitted from the computing device to the client in response to the received packet. The client executes the transmitted application. A response is received from the application executed by the client. The characteristics of the client are determined based on the received response. An image to boot the client is transmitted, and the transmitted image is a function of the determined characteristics.

Abstract: File system write filters are provided which can selectively permit or prevent data from being written-protected storage media. The write filter utilized volatile cache memory to store data that is requested to be written to storage media by applications programming interface function calls. In one aspect, if the particular data is requested to be written to a file that is a file identified on the file exclusion list, the data can be written to the file in non-volatile storage. Otherwise, the particular data is written to volatile cache memory. In another aspect, the write filters can be utilized on computing devices to create a stateless computing device wherein data is written to volatile cache memory in response to write function calls. Upon rebooting, any data that was saved to the volatile cache memory is discarded and the computing device is restored to its original state.

Abstract: A method includes loading an optical media image representing the content of a physical optical media device from an optical media image source into random access memory (RAM) and emulating the physical optical media device using the optical media image. The optical media image is in an optical media format. A system includes an optical media image stored in random access memory (RAM), the optical media image being in an optical media format, and including operating system (OS) code executable by a microprocessor. A RAM disk program accesses the optical media image according to the optical media format.