BOOTING A COMPUTING DEVICE BY STREAMING A DESKTOP IMAGE OVER A NETWORK

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
booting an operating system of a computing device from a desktop image located on a remote server; initiating a process of streaming content of the desktop image to the computing device from the remote server and storing the streamed content on a local disk on the computing device; receiving a write request from the operating system of the computing device and directing the write request to the local disk; receiving a read request from the operating system before the content of the desktop image has completed streaming to the computing device and:
if the read request is targeted to information that is available on the local disk, directing the read request to the local disk; andif the read request is targeted to information that is only available on the desktop image, directing the read request to the desktop image on the remote server.