Method, apparatus, and system of forward caching for a managed client

An apparatus comprising:

• a tangible storage device storing a computer readable program;
• a processor executing the computer readable program, the computer readable program comprising:
• a storage module storing a software image on a storage device of a backend server, the backend server providing virtual disk storage on the storage device through a plurality of intermediate network points for a plurality of diskless data processing devices, wherein the intermediate network points are network appliances connecting the plurality of diskless data processing devices to a network, the backend server connects to the intermediate network points through the network, and each diskless data processing device communicates directly with the intermediate network points, querying the plurality of intermediate network points for each diskless data processing device connected to each intermediate network point, selecting an image instance of the software image for a first intermediate network point if accesses of the software image by diskless data processing devices connected to the first intermediate network point exceed an access threshold, and caching the image instance of the software image at the first intermediate network point in response to selecting the first intermediate network point;
• a tracking module maintaining a software image database at the backend server of the software image and the corresponding image instance and detecting an update to the software image on the storage device;
• and
• the storage module further copying the updated software image to the first intermediate network point as an updated image instance in response to detecting the update.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of diskless data processing devices;
• a SAN comprising at least one virtual disk;
• a plurality of intermediate network points wherein at least one intermediate network point is in communication with each diskless data processing device, wherein each intermediate network point is a network appliance connecting the plurality of diskless data processing devices to the SAN;
• a backend server that is in communication with the SAN and connects to the plurality intermediate network points through the SAN and to the plurality of diskless data processing devices through the intermediate network points, the backend server providing virtual disk storage for the plurality of data processing devices on the SAN and comprising
• a storage module storing a software image on a SAN, querying the plurality of intermediate network points for each diskless data processing device connected to each intermediate network point, selecting an image instance of the software image for a first intermediate network point if accesses of the software image by diskless data processing devices connected to the first intermediate network point exceed an access threshold, and caching the image instance of the software image at the first intermediate network point;
• a tracking module maintaining a software image database at the backend server of the software image and the corresponding image instance and detecting an update to the software image on the SAN;
• and
• the storage module further copying the updated software image to the first intermediate network point as an updated image instance in response to detecting the update.