Method for virtualizing software applications
View Patent ↗A method for virtualizing of software applications. The method comprises initializing a virtual environment created by a virtual engine executed over a computer; creating a new data file; launching an installation process of a software application to be virtualized, wherein the installation process runs in the virtual environment; during the installation process, capturing data writes to a file system of the computer's operating system; and saving the data writes to the new data file.
1. A computing device configured for virtualizing a software application, the computing device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-executable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor
to launch an installation process of the software application, wherein the installation process runs in a virtual environment created by a virtual engine executed over the computing device; and
to capture data writes performed during the installation process and save the captured data writes to a data file,
wherein the data file, upon completion of the installation process, does not store an operating system.
2. The computing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor:
to disable write permissions to the data file upon completion of the installation process; and
to save the data file as an application-on-demand (AOD) file.
3. The computing device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the AOD file includes all the information required to execute a virtual software application that corresponds to the software application.
4. The computing device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the AOD file comprises at least an internal virtual services manager, a digital rights management layer, a connectivity layer, and a protection layer.
5. The computing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data writes to the file system include at least one dynamic link library (DLL) file.
6. The computing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the virtual engine is an executable computing environment.
7. The computing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the virtual engine includes a file system, a registry repository, a dynamic link library (DLL) repository, and named objects.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor:
to launch an installation process of a software application to be virtualized, wherein the installation process runs in a virtual environment created by a virtual engine executed over the computing device; and
to capture data writes performed during the installation process and save the captured data writes to a data file,
wherein the data file, upon completion of the installation process, does not store an operating system.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor:
to disable write permissions to the data file upon completion of the installation process; and
to save the data file as an application-on-demand (AOD) file.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the AOD file includes all the information required to execute a virtual software application that corresponds to the software application.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the AOD file comprises at least an internal virtual services manager, a digital rights management layer, a connectivity layer, and a protection layer.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the data writes to the file system include at least one dynamic link library (DLL) file.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the virtual engine is an executable computing environment.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the virtual engine includes a file system, a registry repository, a dynamic link library (DLL) repository, and named objects.
15. A method performed at a computing device for virtualizing a software application, the method comprising:
launching an installation process of the software application, wherein the installation process runs in a virtual environment created by a virtual engine executed over the computing device; and
capturing data writes performed during the installation process and saving the captured data writes to a data file,
wherein the data file, upon completion of the installation process, does not store an operating system.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising:
disabling write permissions to the data file upon completion of the installation process; and
saving the data file as an application-on-demand (AOD) file.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the AOD file includes all the information required to execute a virtual software application that corresponds to the software application.
18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the AOD file comprises at least an internal virtual services manager, a digital rights management layer, a connectivity layer, and a protection layer.
19. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the data writes to the file system include at least one dynamic link library (DLL) file.
20. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the virtual engine is an executable computing environment.