System and Method for Providing Access to a Shared System Image

A system for providing access to a remote shared image, comprising:

• a client;
• a storage array having:
• a first logical unit having stored thereon a shared image common to the client and at least one other client;
• and
• a second logical unit;
• and
• a plurality of provisioning servers communicatively coupled to the client and the storage array, wherein a first one of the plurality of provisioning servers is configured to:
• associate the client with the first provisioning server;
• create a partition on the second logical unit, the partition having a write space for data specific to the client;
• and
• manage input/output operations communicated between the client and the partition and input/output operations communicated between the client and the shared image.

An information handling system, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to communicatively couple the information handling system to a client and a storage array having a first logical unit and a second logical unit;
• and
• computer-executable instructions carried on a computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:
• associate the client with the information handling system;
• create a partition on a first logical unit, the partition having a write space for data specific to the client;
• and
• manage (a) input/output operations communicated between the client and the partition and (b) input/output operations communicated between the client and a shared image common to the client and at least one other client, the shared image stored on the second logical unit.