Patent ID: 7870106

Claim:
A computer implemented method of client-side node caching in a global file service, said method comprising: receiving a plurality of separate and isolated peripheral nodes from a remote storage node storing a base image that is read-only accessible to a plurality of said client-side nodes, each said separate and isolated peripheral node only comprising a portion of said base image modified by a respective one of said client-side nodes, wherein each said separate and isolated peripheral node is received by said respective one of said client-side nodes when said respective client-side node initializes, wherein said remote storage node is coupled to said global file service via a network, and wherein said client-side nodes comprise compute devices; storing each said separate and isolated peripheral node in a cache on a respective one of said client-side nodes, wherein said cache comprises a physical storage device on said respective client-side node; accessing only unmodified portions of said base image for respective ones of said client-side nodes from said remote storage node; and accessing only said modified portions of said base image for respective ones of said client-side nodes from said caches, wherein a separate and isolated instance of a distributed program for a first of said client-side nodes is derived from said base image that said first client-side node has not modified and at least one of said separate and isolated peripheral nodes that correspond to said first client-side node.