Abstract: A method of capturing and restoring an appliance image is described. An appliance image comprising one or more partitions of an appliance is accessed, wherein the appliance is installed at a first location on a first blade. Re-imaging instructions associated with the one or more partitions are received. The re-imaging instructions and a data store comprising a plurality of partition capture tools are compared. Based on the comparing, a captured appliance image is generated by utilizing one or more of the plurality of partition capture tools. Restore instructions to restore a captured appliance image onto a second blade are then received. Captured metadata is then accessed, wherein the captured metadata comprises the captured appliance image and the re-imaging instructions associated with the one or more partitions. Then, the re-imaging instructions are utilized to restore the captured appliance image onto the second blade.

Abstract: A method for enabling a plurality of software appliances to be dynamically loaded onto a blade is described. During run-time and in response to receiving one or more sets of appliance loading instructions corresponding to one or more appliances, the one or more appliances is downloaded. Each appliance has a capability different from each other. The one or more appliances that are downloaded are stored at a first set of locations on a data store. Each of the first set of locations is different from each other. A first appliance of the one or more appliances that are stored is then installed at a second location on the data store. Then, the first appliance that is installed is booted on the blade.

Abstract: A method for enabling a plurality of software appliances to be dynamically loaded onto a blade is described. During run-time and in response to receiving one or more sets of appliance loading instructions corresponding to one or more appliances, the one or more appliances is downloaded. Each appliance has a capability different from each other. The one or more appliances that are downloaded are stored at a first set of locations on a data store. Each of the first set of locations is different from each other. A first appliance of the one or more appliances that are stored is then installed at a second location on the data store. Then, the first appliance that is installed is booted on the blade.