Apparatus, system and method for integrated customization of multiple disk images independent of operating system type, version or state

A system comprising:

• a distributed storage system, the storage system comprising at least three hierarchal localized levels;
• an integrated package of computer disk image customizations, the package being deployed across the distributed storage system in increasingly localized levels, respective localized levels corresponding to a geographic region,
• wherein instances of the package at respective localized levels comprise customizations from a foregoing level and further customizations based on the localized level,
• wherein the customizations include access to protected resources for a geographic region associated with the localized level;
• a builder module configured to capture foregoing customizations applied to a base disk image and incorporate the further customizations into an instance of the integrated package;
• one or more custom menus generated by the builder module to obtain customization information which was not among the customizations applied to the base disk image,
• wherein the number and content of the one or more custom menus generated are based on the localized level corresponding to a geographic region;
• and
• an injector module configured to programmatically apply the customizations from the integrated package and from the custom menus to a target disk image, independent of the base disk image,
• wherein the builder module and the injector module comprise one or more of logic hardware and executable code, storing the executable code on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer usable program code executable to perform operations for customizing a disk image, the operations of the computer program product comprising:

• building an integrated package of computer disk image customizations, the package being deployed across the distributed storage system in at least three increasingly localized levels, respective localized levels corresponding to a geographic region,
• wherein instances of the package at respective localized levels comprise customizations from a foregoing level and further customizations based on the localized level,
• the customizations including access to protected resources for a geographic region associated with the localized level, with the customizations that are specific to the localized level being added to a further customized instance of the integrated package and stored in a repository at that localized level on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, by capturing customizations applied to a base disk image and incorporating the customizations into the further customized instances of the integrated package;
• generating one or more custom menus to obtain customization information which was not among the customizations applied to the base disk image,
• wherein the number and content of the one or more custom menus generated are based on the localized level corresponding to a geographic region;
• and
• injecting the integrated package by programmatically applying the customizations from the integrated package and from the custom menus to a target disk image, independent of the base disk image.

A machine-implemented method for customizing a computer disk image, the method comprising the steps of:

• loading a base disk image;
• applying computer disk image customizations;
• capturing the customizations;
• providing an integrated package of computer disk image customizations, the package being deployed across a distributed storage system in at least three increasingly localized levels, the increasingly localized levels corresponding to more precise geographic regions,
• wherein instances of the package at respective localized levels includes customizations from a foregoing level and further customizations based on the localized level with the customizations that are specific to the localized level being added to a further customized instance of the integrated package and stored in a repository at that localized level on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media,
• wherein the customizations include access to protected resources for a geographic region associated with the localized level;
• incorporating the foregoing customizations and the further customizations into the further customized instances of the single integrated package;
• generating one or more custom menus to obtain customization information which was not among the customizations applied to the base disk image,
• wherein the number and content of the one or more custom menus generated are based on the localized level corresponding to a geographic region;
• loading a target disk image, independent of the base disk image;
• injecting the integrated package by programmatically applying the customizations from the integrated package to the target disk image to yield a customized target disk image;
• and
• saving the customized target disk image.