Feature based software virtualization

A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions executable by a computing device to perform the functions of:

• virtually installing, to the computing device, a first feature set of a software application by installing the first feature set to a first virtual sub-layer without writing to a base file system and a base configuration, the first feature set including a first subset of features associated with the software application;
• virtually installing, to the computing device, a second feature set of the software application by installing the second feature set to a second virtual sub-layer without writing to the base file system and the base configuration, the second feature set including a second subset of the features associated with the software application that are different than the first subset of the features associated with the software application;
• and
• selectively and individually enabling at least one of the first virtual sub-layer to activate the first feature set and the second virtual sub-layer to active the second feature set such that access requests associated with the first feature set of the software application are redirected from the base file system and/or the base configuration to the first virtual sub-layer, and access requests associated with the second feature set of the software application are redirected from the base filed system and/or the base configuration to the second virtual sub-layer.

A system, comprising:

• a software management subsystem configured to maintain a plurality of virtual sub-layers associated with a plurality of feature sets, each of the features sets including a subset of features of a software application;
• and
• at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the software management subsystem, the computing device having a base file system and a base configuration of a base operating system;
• wherein the software management subsystem is configured to selectively and individually deliver at least two of the virtual sub-layers to the computing device;
• and
• wherein the computing device is configured to receive and virtually install the at least two of the virtual sub-layers without writing to the base file system and the base configuration;
• selectively and individually enabling the at least two of the virtual sub-layers at the computing device to activate the feature sets associated with the two virtual sub-layers such that access requests associated with each of the two feature sets associated with the two installed virtual sub-layers of the software application are redirected from the base file system and/or the base configuration to the respective virtual sub-layer.