Abstract: Techniques are described for preserving desktop state between login sessions in desktop computing environments. During an active login session of a desktop by a user, the system intercepts all requests to open a file and records the requested file paths. The information can be recorded locally or at a remote location, such as a server accessed over a network connection. Before the login session is terminated, the system determines all open windows and captures a screenshot of each window that is open on the desktop at the time of terminating the login session. The location of each window is also determined and recorded along with the screenshots before the session is terminated. When the user starts a new active login session at a later time, the state of the desktop is restored using the recorded file paths, screenshots and window locations.

Abstract: A system is described for integrating menu bars of applications executed on a virtual machine in a computing device with menu bars in the host operating system. A hosted hypervisor is executed on the computing device. The hypervisor manages a virtual machine running a guest operating system (OS) on the computing device. An application is executed on the guest OS. A call by the application to the guest OS is detected, the call requesting the guest OS to set a menu bar for the application. The call is intercepted, information regarding the content of the menu bar is retrieved from the intercepted call, and the information is used to set a menu bar for the application in the host OS. Subsequently, when a selection is made from the menu bar in the host OS, the selection is translated to the application running in the virtual machine to effectuate the selection.

Abstract: A cloud-based system is described for producing application deltas based on application recipes that identify components of the application deltas using unique identifiers, without the recipe containing all or any content of the actual application. The application recipe can be conveyed to an organization operating on an enterprise network, where the application recipe can be matched with application files in the organization's backup storage containing copies of content of endpoint devices on the network to retrieve components identified by the recipe and produce the application delta for the application. Subsequently, the application delta can be used as an installation package to perform IT operations such as installing the application on endpoint devices.

Abstract: A system is described allowing a virtual desktop to be booted directly from a desktop image stored in a backup database without requiring content from the desktop image to be copied into the virtual disk of the virtual machine hosting the virtual desktop. The hosting virtual machine contains a synthetic virtual disk acting as a stub disk by redirecting read requests targeted for the synthetic disk from the guest operating system to corresponding locations of the storage where the desktop image is kept.

Abstract: Methods and systems for n-way cloning and synchronization of a user desktop image are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cloning and Synchronization System (“CSS”) which binds a server stored CVD object representing the user's desktop image to one or more endpoint devices. Each endpoint device receives a clone of the CVD object that comprises one or more layers of the server CVD depending upon the suitability of the endpoint device hardware and operating system to the server stored desktop. The cloned CVDs in the endpoint devices are then kept synchronized by synchronization operations. In one embodiment, the CSS allows only one endpoint device to push up changes to the server CVD. User files are synchronized with the all endpoints using a live sync process. System and managed applications may be intelligently merged into an inactive device rather than overwriting data modified on the inactive device.

Abstract: A system is described for replacing the desktop image on a computing device with a network-based desktop image (e.g., a backup copy of a desktop image) while allowing the user to resume working on the computing device with the new desktop with minimal downtime. The computing device is booted directly from the backed-up desktop image on the network. After boot, the system allows the user to use the computing device with the new desktop image by directing read requests for information that is only available on the network to the desktop image on the network. Write operations are performed on the local disk of the computing device. While the user is using the computing device, the desktop image is streamed in the background and stored on the local disk.

Abstract: Methods and systems for n-way cloning and synchronization of a user desktop image are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cloning and Synchronization System (“CSS”) which binds a server stored CVD object representing the user's desktop image to one or more endpoint devices. Each endpoint device receives a clone of the CVD object that comprises one or more layers of the server CVD depending upon the suitability of the endpoint device hardware and operating system to the server stored desktop. The cloned CVDs in the endpoint devices are then kept synchronized by synchronization operations. In one embodiment, the CSS allows only one endpoint device to act as a master device and push up changes to the server CVD. These changes are then pushed down to the other devices using different synchronization methods dependent upon the layer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for remote contextual access to an operating system desktop are provided. Example embodiments provide a desktop state agent the harvests information from a user's desktop regarding state of various objects such as open documents, recent documents, links, shared links, bookmarks, upcoming events, and/or recent emails. The harvested information is translated to html or other web browser recognized language where possible and uploaded to be accessible to a web server configured to respond to requests for desktop state using a web address. In one embodiment, the RCAS allows access to a user's desktop transparently—without the user needing to take explicit action. Further, a remote mobile device can render the desktop data without using a session or connection to the user's desktop machine and without use of a remote desktop protocol.

Abstract: A system is described allowing a virtual desktop to be booted directly from a desktop image stored in a backup database without requiring content from the desktop image to be copied into the virtual disk of the virtual machine hosting the virtual desktop. The hosting virtual machine contains a synthetic virtual disk acting as a stub disk by redirecting read requests targeted for the synthetic disk from the guest operating system to corresponding locations of the storage where the desktop image is kept.

Abstract: Techniques are described for creating a virtual machine clone of a physical host computing device. A hosted hypervisor running within a host operating system on the physical computing device receives a request to boot a virtual machine clone of the device. In response to the request, the hosted hypervisor synthesizes a virtual disk that is comprised of a master boot record of the host computing device, a read-only snapshot obtained from a volume snapshot service of the host operating system and a delta virtual disk for recording changes. The hosted hypervisor then launches the virtual machine clone by attaching the synthesized virtual disk to the virtual machine clone and booting the guest operating system from the master boot record and the snapshot. Any changes made during the use of the virtual machine clone can be automatically propagated back and applied to the physical host device.

Abstract: Techniques are described for creating a virtual machine clone of a physical host computing device. A hosted hypervisor running within a host operating system on the physical computing device receives a request to boot a virtual machine clone of the device. In response to the request, the hosted hypervisor synthesizes a virtual disk that is comprised of a master boot record of the host computing device, a read-only snapshot obtained from a volume snapshot service of the host operating system and a delta virtual disk for recording changes. The hosted hypervisor then launches the virtual machine clone by attaching the synthesized virtual disk to the virtual machine clone and booting the guest operating system from the master boot record and the snapshot. Any changes made during the use of the virtual machine clone can be automatically propagated back and applied to the physical host device.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein provide an approach for distributed self-served application remoting. In one embodiment, a user's own computing device, on which a remoted application runs, transmits user interface updates to a destination device which displays the updates and communicates back inputs (e.g., keyboard and mouse inputs) made at the destination device. The user may select an application for remoting by moving the application's window outside the boundaries of a desktop. This is similar to moving the application across computer screens in a multi-monitor setup and may create the illusion of a boundless desktop. In another embodiment, the user may remote the application to multiple destination devices using a “broadcast” mode. In yet another embodiment, the user may remote the application to a virtual machine.

Abstract: A system is described allowing a virtual desktop to be booted directly from a desktop image stored in a backup database without requiring content from the desktop image to be copied into the virtual disk of the virtual machine hosting the virtual desktop. The hosting virtual machine contains a synthetic virtual disk acting as a stub disk by redirecting read requests targeted for the synthetic disk from the guest operating system to corresponding locations of the storage where the desktop image is kept.

Abstract: A cloud-based system is described for producing application deltas based on application recipes that identify components of the application deltas using unique identifiers, without the recipe containing all or any content of the actual application. The application recipe can be conveyed to an organization operating on an enterprise network, where the application recipe can be matched with application files in the organization's backup storage containing copies of content of endpoint devices on the network to retrieve components identified by the recipe and produce the application delta for the application. Subsequently, the application delta can be used as an installation package to perform IT operations such as installing the application on endpoint devices.

Abstract: Methods and systems for n-way cloning and synchronization of a user desktop image are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cloning and Synchronization System (“CSS”) which binds a server stored CVD object representing the user's desktop image to one or more endpoint devices. Each endpoint device receives a clone of the CVD object that comprises one or more layers of the server CVD depending upon the suitability of the endpoint device hardware and operating system to the server stored desktop. The cloned CVDs in the endpoint devices are then kept synchronized by synchronization operations. In one embodiment, the CSS allows only one endpoint device to act as a master device and push up changes to the server CVD. These changes are then pushed down to the other devices using different synchronization methods dependent upon the layer.

Abstract: A desktop image management system is described that can efficiently distribute updates to virtual desktops running on host servers in a data center. The system is comprised of a central server and multiple agents, each agent installed on a virtual machine. When a VM receives an update from the central server, the files are stored in a single instance store on the host server. The agent running on the VM then creates a corresponding stub file (empty of content) on the VM for each file in the single instance store. The agent further marks the stub file to indicate that the stub file is mapped to the single instance store. When the guest operating system requests to read the stub file, the virtual disk layer of the host server detects that the requested block has been marked and fetches the content of the file from the single instance store.

Abstract: An enterprise network management system is described for automatically updating program layers. A program is installed on a reference machine designated for the program and the reference machine is subsequently suspended. When the system detects a newer version of the program on a client device on the network, the reference machine is resumed, the program is allowed to update to the newer version, an updated program layer for the newer version is captured and stored, and the reference machine is suspended. Thereby, when a program layer for the updated application is required for IT operations, the layer will be available. The process can repeat when subsequent versions of the program are detected on client devices.

Abstract: Methods and systems for n-way cloning and synchronization of a user desktop image are provided. Example embodiments provide a Cloning and Synchronization System (“CSS”) which binds a server stored CVD object representing the user's desktop image to one or more endpoint devices. Each endpoint device receives a clone of the CVD object that comprises one or more layers of the server CVD depending upon the suitability of the endpoint device hardware and operating system to the server stored desktop. The cloned CVDs in the endpoint devices are then kept synchronized by synchronization operations. In one embodiment, the CSS allows only one endpoint device to act as a master device and push up changes to the server CVD. These changes are then pushed down to the other devices using different synchronization methods dependent upon the layer.

Abstract: A system for a mass centralization approach to full image cloning of multiple computing devices is provided. The system includes a plurality of computing devices and a server. The server includes a processor programmed to receive, from the plurality of computing devices, metadata for files stored on the plurality of computing devices, determine, from the received metadata, an importance level for each of the files, instruct the plurality of computing devices to send a copy of the files to the server in a defined order, the defined order based on the importance level for each of the files, and store the copy of the files on the server.

Abstract: An enterprise network management system is described for automatically updating program layers. A program is installed on a reference machine designated for the program and the reference machine is subsequently suspended. When the system detects a newer version of the program on a client device on the network, the reference machine is resumed, the program is allowed to update to the newer version, an updated program layer for the newer version is captured and stored, and the reference machine is suspended. Thereby, when a program layer for the updated application is required for IT operations, the layer will be available. The process can repeat when subsequent versions of the program are detected on client devices.