Patent ID: 8918782

Claim:
A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising: receiving one or more factors for dividing up data of an installation image into a plurality of portions for apportionment of the plurality of portions over one or more repositories, the factors including one or more size indicators; determining the apportionment of the data over the one or more repositories based on the one or more factors; and storing an indication of the apportionment of the data in a persistent data store for use in obtaining the data from the one or more repositories when installing, configuring, and/or re-configuring an operating system corresponding with the installation image, wherein the one or more size indicators comprises metadata indicative of an allowed combination of components of the installation image; wherein the apportionment is determined in accordance with the allowed combination of components; and wherein storing an indication comprises storing the indication on a local storage of the operating system in a manner wherein the operating system is capable of determining components that are stored locally and components that are stored remotely by accessing the local storage and without accessing a remote data store.