Patent ID: 7350206

Claim:
In a central storage device, a method for provisioning a host device with an application, said method comprising: storing a golden image of said application at a first storage location in said central storage device, said golden image representing a source copy of said application, said golden image inaccessible to said host device and unchangeable while at said first storage location; generating a first copy of said golden image prior to receiving a request for said golden image; storing said first copy of said golden image at a second storage location in said central storage device, said golden image inaccessible to said host device and unchangeable by said host device while at said second storage location until said second storage location is mapped to said host device; mapping said second storage location to said host device that needs a copy of said golden image, wherein said host device is operable to execute said application in communication with said central storage device; generating a second copy of said golden image that is a copy of said first copy; configuring said second copy of said golden image according to attributes and parameters common to a plurality of host devices; storing said second copy at a third storage location in said central storage device, said second copy inaccessible to said host devices and unchangeable while at said third storage location; generating a third copy that is a copy of said second copy prior to receiving a request for said second copy; storing said third copy at a fourth storage location in said central storage device, said fourth storage location inaccessible to said host devices and unchangeable by said host devices while at said fourth storage location until said fourth storage location is mapped to one of said host devices; and mapping said fourth storage location to said one of said host devices, wherein said one of said host devices is operable to execute said application in communication with said central storage device.