Patent ID: 8051111

Claim:
A method for facilitating portable distribution of a virtualized computer system and software by storing and distributing virtualized computer images in a parent-child relationship, comprising: capturing a computer system in a file-based manner such that duplicate files are not stored in the virtualized computer system and software; segregating the captured computer system into primary file resources and ancillary file resources based on at least predetermined parameters, wherein segregating based on predetermined parameters comprises identifying at least one of operating system file resources and database management system file resources as primary file resources and identifying other software file resources as ancillary file resources, wherein the predetermined parameters for segregation are from a graphical user interface (GUI) module, an image modularization module, or a combination thereof; creating a parent image and at least one child image, wherein the child image refers to the parent image and wherein the parent image and child image are configured to represent multiple images or machines; storing the primary file resources onto a parent image; and storing the ancillary file resources into the at least one child image which refers to the parent image.