Patent ID: 8073926

Claim:
A method for downloading a virtual machine image file to a virtual machine client, comprising: selecting by the virtual machine client the virtual machine image file, wherein the selecting comprises selecting a first parameter identifying an operating system, and a second parameter identifying an application environment; receiving the selected virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client from a virtual machine image file server; and executing the virtual machine image file at the virtual machine client before the virtual machine image file has been completely received by the virtual machine client, wherein the executing comprises: receiving a request to access a sector of the virtual machine image file by the virtual machine client; determining if the requested sector has already been received by the virtual machine client; accessing the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has previously been received by the virtual machine client; and sending a message to the virtual machine image file server to prioritize the requested sector when it is determined that the requested sector has not previously been received by the virtual machine client, and then accessing the requested sector when the requested sector is later received by the virtual machine client.