Creating templates of offline resources

Abstract

Implementations of the present invention allow software resources to be duplicated efficiently and effectively while offline. In one implementation, a preparation program receives an identification of a software resource, such as a virtual machine installed on a different volume, an offline operating system, or an application program. The preparation program also receives an indication of customized indicia that are to be removed from the software resource. These indicia can include personalized information as well as the level of software updates, security settings, user settings or the like. Upon execution, the preparation program redirects the function calls of the preparation program to the software resource at the different volume (or even the same volume) while the software resource is not running. The preparation program thus can thus creates a template of the software resource in a safe manner without necessarily affecting the volume at which the preparation program runs.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory having instructions that configure the processor to at least:   receive a request to create a second virtual machine from a first virtual machine based on a settings file;   identify a first software resource installed on the first virtual machine in response to the software resource having a first set of indicia;   remove from the software resource at least one of one the indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file;   add to the software resource at least one of one indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file; and   store the virtual machine with the removed and added at least one indicia as a generic virtual machine.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first software resource is an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first software resource is an application program installed on an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of computer name, user name, company name, domain name, or network address. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of a resource product key, a software version, or a security setting. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the memory has instructions that configure the processor to at least to instantiate the generic virtual machine as a third virtual machine. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the memory has instruction that instructions that further configure the processor to at least store the removed one or more indicia that were removed from the software resource. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a request to create a second virtual machine from a first virtual machine based on a settings file;   identifying a first software resource installed on the first virtual machine in response to the software resource having a first set of indicia;   removing from the software resource at least one of one the indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file;   adding to the software resource at least one of one indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file; and   storing the virtual machine with the removed and added at least one indicia as a generic virtual machine.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first software resource is an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first software resource is an application program installed on an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of computer name, user name, company name, domain name, or network address. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of a resource product key, a software version, or a security setting. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 8  further comprising instantiating the generic virtual machine as a third virtual machine. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising storing the removed one or more indicia that were removed from the software resource. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable storage device excluding signals per se, the storage device having stored thereon computer readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, causes the computing device at least to:
 receive a request to create a second virtual machine from a first virtual machine based on a settings file;   identify a first software resource installed on the first virtual machine in response to the software resource having a first set of indicia;   remove from the software resource at least one of one the indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file;   add to the software resource at least one of one indicia based on one or more settings in the settings file; and   store the virtual machine with the removed and added at least one indicia as a generic virtual machine.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first software resource is an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first software resource is an application program installed on an operating system of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of computer name, user name, company name, domain name, or network address. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the one or more settings comprise a system or user setting comprising an indication of any one or more of a resource product key, a software version, or a security setting. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device as recited in  claim 15 , the computer-readable storage device further having stored thereon computer readable instructions that upon execution on a computing device, causes the computing device at least to instantiate the generic virtual machine as a third virtual machine.