Fast application streaming using on-demand staging

A computer storage device for use in computing system that is networked in a computer networking environment that includes a plurality of computing systems, the computer storage device having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, implement a method for rapidly launching a virtual software application using on-demand file staging, wherein the method includes:

• an act of accessing a high-level registry file listing that includes a listing of specified, high-level registry files that are to be used by the virtual software application;
• an act of receiving an indication that the virtual application is to be accessed;
• an act of dynamically creating registry files listed in the high-level registry file listing that are to be accessed based on the received indication, such that the created registry files are written into the client computer system registry;
• and
• upon determining that the application is attempting to access one or more additional registry files, an act of dynamically creating the additional registry files in the client computer system registry on demand.

A computing system networked in a computer networking environment that includes a plurality of computing systems, the computing system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, implement a method for rapidly publishing a virtual software application using on-demand staging, wherein the method includes:
• an act of receiving an input indicating that one or more virtual software applications are to be published on one or more client computer systems;
• in response to the received input, an act of publishing the virtual software application to the one or more client computer systems, wherein publishing comprises:
• an act of obtaining, for at least one client computer system, a high-level file listing that includes a list of specified high-level data files and directories that are part of a virtual application package;
• and
• an act of creating one or more sparse data files on demand for data files requested by the virtual software application.