Patent ID: 7992143

Claim:
A software-simulated computer server for providing a client device access to an application program on a software-simulated computer through a network, comprising: one or more hardware computers; a bootable image that defines a software-simulated computer having a copy of said application program stored thereon; and a host control program that causes said one or more hardware computers to create a plurality of software-simulated computers from said bootable image and to generate unique, machine-differentiation information for each software-simulated computer in said plurality during a boot process; and wherein said host control program further causes said hardware computers to select a running software-simulated computer from said plurality, to negotiate a communication connection between said selected software-simulated computer and said client device, and to enable said client device to access said application program running on said selected software-simulated computer through said network; and wherein said host control program causes said one or more hardware computers shutdown, recreate, and restart said plurality of software-simulated computers.