Instant clone build process

Previously, when we talked about linked clones, we looked at what the build process looks like and what gets built, so let's now look at that again from an instant clone perspective.

As always, we start with the master image, the virtual desktop machine that all other desktops are built from. The first thing that happens is that a snapshot of the master virtual desktop machine is taken. Next, an internal template is created that is a linked clone of the master virtual desktop machine based on the virtual desktop machine snapshot taken in the previous step.

Next, we have the replica virtual desktop machine, which is a thin-provisioned, full clone of the internal template virtual desktop machine. View Storage Accelerator uses a CBRC digest of this virtual desktop machine. After the replica virtual desktop machine, the running parent virtual desktop machine is created using a linked clone of the replica virtual desktop machine, which, in turn, is based on a replica virtual desktop machine snapshot.

Finally, the instant clone desktop is created and is ready for the end user. The following diagram describes this process pictorially: