Installing and executing shared applications in shared folders

A system for creating an image to deploy to client computers that communicate over a network, comprising:

• a base computer, having a local device and adapted to access a shared folder over a network, wherein a plurality of client computers are additionally adapted to access the shared folder over the network;
• a first installation program adapted to be executed in the base computer to add files for a first program to the shared folder, wherein the first installation program modifies the local device to add shared application components including executable files for the first program to the shared folder and add local application components of the first program used by the base computer to the local device to enable the base computer to run the first program by accessing the shared application components and local application components of the first program in the shared folder and in the local device;
• an image creation program adapted to create an image of the local device of the base computer including the local application components of the first program;
• a deployment program adapted to communicate the image to the client computers over the network to apply the local application components of the first program to local devices of the client computers, wherein applying the image to the local devices of the client computers enables the client computers to access the shared application components in the shared folder to run the first program, wherein the clients execute the local application components and the shared application components to run the first program;
• a second installation program adapted to install a second program on the base computer to the shared folder, wherein installing the second program adds files for the second program to the shared folder and modifies memory of the base computer, and wherein installing the second program enables the base computer run the second program by accessing the program files in the shared folder;
• an incremental package program adapted to determine writes to the base computer memory during installation of the second program on the base computer;
• and
• an incremental deployment program adapted to provide the determined writes to the client computers to apply to the client computers, wherein the writes applied to the base computer memory during the installation of the second program are applied to the client computers, and wherein applying the writes to the client computers enables the client computers to access the second program files in the shared folder to run the second program.

An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium including code executed to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

• installing a first program with a base computer, having a local device, wherein the base computer is adapted to access a shared folder accessible to multiple client computers over a network, wherein installing the first program on the base computer adds shared application components including executable files for the first program to the shared folder and adds local application components of the first program to the local device used by the base computer, and wherein installing the first program enables the base computer to run the first program by accessing the shared application components and local application components of the first program in the shared folder and in the local device;
• creating an image of the local device of the base computer including the local application components of the first program;
• providing the image to the client computers to apply the local application components of the first program to local devices of the client computers, wherein applying the image to the local devices of the client computers enables the client computers to access the shared application components in the shared folder to run the first program, wherein the clients execute the local application components and the shared application components to run the first program;
• installing a second program on the base computer to the shared folder, wherein installing the second program adds files for the second program to the shared folder and modifies memory of the base computer, and wherein installing the second program enables the base computer to run the second program by accessing the program files in the shared folder;
• determining writes to the base computer memory during installation of the second program on the base computer;
• and
• providing the determined writes to the client computers to apply to the client computers, wherein the writes applied to the base computer memory during the installation of the second program are applied to the client computers, and wherein applying the writes to the client computers enables the client computers to access the second program files in the shared folder to run the second program.