Managing user state of cloud desktops

Abstract

A mechanism is described for provisioning remote desktops in a cloud based infrastructure while maintaining user personalization. In cloud based systems, a user may not always reconnect to the same VM endpoint. In one embodiment, the virtual hard disk assigned to a user is mounted to the endpoint assigned to the user. The virtual hard disk includes the user's personal data and personalization information (e.g., settings, profiles, files, etc.). When the user disconnects from the remote desktop, the virtual hard disk is demounted from the endpoint. The virtual hard disk thus provides information regarding the user's state when the user is disconnected.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 instantiating one or more remote desktop configurations comprising an operating environment and software applications to be included in the operating environment;   in response to a request for a first remote desktop session conforming to one of the one or more remote desktop configurations, assigning a virtual machine endpoint to the requested remote desktop session, the virtual machine endpoint selected from a pool of available resources that store user configuration profile information separately from an operating system of the virtual machine endpoint;   loading, by a computing device, previously saved user state data associated with the requested first remote desktop session, the previously saved user state data saved as a virtual profile comprising user preference and personal data indicative of a standard desktop configuration for a user role; and   updating, by the computing device, the saved state data during the first remote desktop session.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the previously saved user state is saved independently of the requested remote desktop session. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual machine endpoint and the virtual profile initially comprises data operable to initially configure a user's desktop in accordance with the standard desktop configuration for the user role. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising in response to a request for a second remote desktop session, assigning a second virtual machine endpoint to the second remote desktop session from a pool of available virtual machine endpoints. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising instantiating the requested first remote desktop session when previously saved user state data is not available. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said instantiating comprises mounting a virtual profile to the endpoint. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising demounting the virtual profile from the endpoint upon ending the remote desktop session. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising persisting the saved state data for a subsequent remote desktop session. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the saved state data when the instantiated remote desktop session is terminated. 
     
     
         10 . A cloud computing system comprising: a computing device
 comprising at least one processor;   
       a memory communicatively coupled to said processor when said system is operational; said memory having stored therein computer instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor cause: 
       instantiating one or more remote desktop configurations comprising an operating environment and software applications to be included in the operating environment; 
       in response to a request for a first remote desktop session conforming to one of the one or more remote desktop configurations, assigning a virtual machine endpoint to the requested remote desktop session, the virtual machine endpoint selected from a pool of available resources that store user configuration profile information separately from an operating system of the virtual machine endpoint; 
       loading, by a computing device, previously saved user state data associated with the requested first remote desktop session, the previously saved user state data saved as a virtual profile comprising user preference and personal data indicative of a standard desktop configuration for a user role; and 
       updating, by the computing device, the saved state data during the first remote desktop session. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the previously saved user state is saved independently of the requested remote desktop session. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the virtual machine endpoint and the virtual profile initially comprises data operable to initially configure a user's desktop in accordance with the standard desktop configuration for the user role. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising mounting the saved state data to the endpoint. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising in response to a request for a second remote desktop session, assigning a second virtual machine endpoint to the second remote desktop session from a pool of available virtual machine endpoints. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising instantiating the requested first remote desktop session when previously saved user state data is not available. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising persisting the saved state data for a subsequent remote desktop session. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the virtual profile is implemented as a virtual hard disk. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable storage device storing thereon computer executable instructions, the computer readable storage device comprising instructions for:
 instantiating one or more remote desktop configurations comprising an operating environment and software applications to be included in the operating environment;   in response to a request for a first remote desktop session conforming to one of the one or more remote desktop configurations, assigning a virtual machine endpoint to the requested remote desktop session, the virtual machine endpoint selected from a pool of available resources that store user configuration profile information separately from an operating system of the virtual machine endpoint;   loading, by a computing device, previously saved user state data associated with the requested first remote desktop session, the previously saved user state data saved as a virtual profile comprising user preference and personal data indicative of a standard desktop configuration for a user role; and   updating, by the computing device, the saved state data during the first remote desktop session.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 17 , further comprising instructions for instantiating the requested first remote desktop session when previously saved user state data is not available. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein said instantiating comprises mounting the virtual profile to the endpoint. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable device of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions for demounting the virtual profile from the endpoint upon ending the remote desktop session.