Patent ID: 8584113

Claim:
A method comprising: identifying, at a first computer, connection of a removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to the first computer; accessing, by the first computer, an external server for identification of a particular authorized version of an image of a software stack for the first computer; determining, by the first computer, whether data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack for the first computer exists on the removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; responsive to determining that data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack for the first computer exists on the removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, loading, by the first computer, data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack from the removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to a logically protected region of the first computer; responsive to determining that no data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack for the first computer exists on the removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium: outputting data indicating that no data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack for the first computer exists on the removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; selecting, from a plurality of computers, a physically nearest second computer that has the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack; displaying, by the first computer, an indication of the second computer; receiving an indication from the second computer that a connected removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connected to the second computer includes data representing the particular authorized version of the image of the software stack for the first computer.