File mapping and converting for dynamic disk personalization for multiple platforms

1. A method implemented and residing within a computer-readable storage medium that is executed by a processor, the processor configured to perform the method, comprising:

intercepting a file operation from a principal to access or create a file, the file operation received within a first virtual machine (VM) associated with a first platform, the first VM is defined as an instance of a first virtual image that was personalized for the principal using a personal data store to modify the first virtual image, and the personal data store is where the file is to be accessed from or created by the file operation;

determining that the file is sharable with a second platform, the second platform associated with a second virtual image personalized by the personal data store for a second VM of the principal;

permitting the file operation to process in the first platform of the first VM;

recording results of the file operation in the personal data store;

converting the results of the file operation for compatibility with the second platform of the second VM; and

recording the converted results in the personal data store.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, packaging the method within the first virtual image and the second virtual image to instantiate and load when the first VM and the second VM are created for the principal.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a request from the principal to access the file from the second platform of the second VM;

obtaining the file having the results from the personal data storage in a second format that is compatible with the second platform; and

providing the principal access to the file from the personal data storage in the second platform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein intercepting further includes detecting the file operation as one of: a read operation, a write operation, a delete operation, and a create operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining further includes identifying the file as sharable with the second platform based on a file type associated with the file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein identifying further includes parsing a file extension for a name of the file to acquire the file type.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining further includes identifying the file as sharable with the second platform based on a file location for the file.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein identifying further includes comparing the file location to pre-defined locations used to recognize sharable files between the first platform and the second platform.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining further includes checking a database for an entry for the file to determine if the file exists and where it is located within the personal data storage.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting further includes translating the file from a first file type compatible with the first platform to a second file type compatible with the second platform.

11. A method implemented and residing within a computer-readable storage medium that is executed by a processor of a network to perform the method, comprising:

receiving a file access request for a file from a principal in a first platform of a first virtual machine (VM) defined by a first virtual image and the first VM personalized by personal storage defined for the principal, the file last modified by the principal from a second platform of a second VM defined by a second virtual image and personalized by the personal storage, the file present in the personal storage in a first format compatible for the first platform and a second format compatible for the second platform;

intercepting a volatile operation to the file in the first format that is made by the principal in the first platform;

converting the modified file in the first format following the volatile operation to the second format; and

recording the modified file in the first format and the second format within the personal storage making the file available in the second format in the second platform when the principal instantiates the second VM.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, detecting a delete of the file by the principal in the first platform and deleting the file in the first format and the second format from the personal storage.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, synchronizing additional changes made to the file in the first format from the first platform with the file in the second format to ensure access in the second platform on the second VM is consistent with the file in the first format on the first platform in the first VM.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving further includes identifying the file as being available in the second format on the personal storage via a database lookup on a file identifier.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein intercepting further includes acting as an intermediary between the volatile operation and the personal storage to detect the volatile operation made by the principal.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein converting further includes consulting a conversion utility to translate the file from the first format to the second format.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein recording further includes updating a time stamp in an index to the personal storage to indicate a new version of the file was created from the first platform in the first format and converted to the second format within the personal storage.

18. A multiprocessor-implemented system, comprising:

a first dynamic storage filter implemented in a non transitory computer-readable medium and to execute on a processor within a first virtual machine (VM); and

a second dynamic storage filter implemented in a non transitory computer readable medium and to execute on second processor within a second VM;

the first dynamic storage filter configured to detect volatile operations made to a file in the first VM using a first platform, the file accessible in the first platform in a first format, and the first dynamic storage filter configured to synchronize changes to the file in the first format to a second format compatible within a second platform of the second VM; the second dynamic storage filter configured to detect other volatile operations made to the file in the second VM using the second platform, the file accessible in the second platform in the second format, and the second dynamic storage filter configured to synchronize changes to the file in the second format to first format compatible within the first platform of the first VM.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the first VM is instantiated for a particular principal using a first VM image personalized by personal storage for the first VM image, and the second VM is instantiated for the particular principal using a second VM image also personalized by the personal storage for the second VM image.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the file in the first format and the second format are housed and recorded in the personal storage for the particular principal.