Patent ID: 8423591

Claim:
A method for facilitating portable distribution of computer systems and software by storing and distributing computer images in a parent-child relationship, comprising: capturing a computer system in a file-based manner such that duplicate files are not stored; segregating the captured 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 software file resources as ancillary file resources, wherein the predetermined parameters are inputted from a graphical user interface (GUI) module, pre-exist in an image modularization module, or a combination thereof; creating a parent image and a 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 into a parent image; and storing the ancillary file resources into one or more child images which refer to the parent image.