Patent ID: 8166476
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions executable by one or more processors to implement: storing a plurality of backup images of a first physical computer system on a server computer system, wherein each respective backup image specifies a respective state of the first physical computer system, wherein the first physical computer system corresponds to a particular user; receiving a first request from the particular user via a web browser program executing on a second physical computer system to access a virtual representation of the first physical computer system; in response to the first request, transmitting information identifying the plurality of backup images to the second physical computer system for display by the web browser program; instantiating a virtual computer from a particular backup image of the plurality of backup images in response to receiving user input from the particular user selecting the particular backup image via the web browser program executing on the second physical computer system, wherein the particular backup image specifies a first state of the first physical computer system, wherein the first state includes a state of a file system of the first physical computer system, wherein instantiating the virtual computer from the particular backup image comprises converting a first one or more files of the particular backup image into a second one or more files formatted according to a virtual computer format and instantiating the virtual computer from the second one or more files; receiving user input from the particular user to the virtual computer via the web browser program executing on the second physical computer system; modifying a state of the virtual computer in response to the user input to the virtual computer, wherein the modified state includes a modified state of the file system; storing a modified backup image of the virtual computer on the server computer system, wherein the modified backup image specifies the modified state of the virtual computer; and transferring and applying the modified backup image from the server computer system to the first physical computer system, wherein applying the modified backup image of the virtual computer to the first physical computer system changes the file system of the first physical computer system into the modified state of the file system.