Multi-instance "shadow" system and method for automated resource redundancy reduction across dynamic language applications utilizing application of dynamically generated templates

Abstract

A system and method are provided that allows, by adding a loadable module to the language runtime engine and overriding some of the core engine's operating system access functionality, the system to create a customizable copy of the installed application without creating complete copies of the actual files (scripts, executables, binaries, etc.) and without redundancies in content storage.

1 . A generalized multi-instance computer application system for reducing the marginal cost of deploying copies of a computer software application on the same computer hardware, comprising: a computer system having a processor; a store associated with the computer system that stores one or more instances of an application and a piece of template code, wherein the template code is code that is shared between all of the copies of the instances of the application; a language runtime engine, executed by the processor of the computer system, having a shadow module that overrides a file access of the computer system and, for execution of an instance of the application, uses the piece of template code. 
     
     
         2 . The system in  claim 1 , where the template functions can be augmented in each copy according to a customer's needs by extending the base template via metadata files and code files unique to the copy, while preserving the same low cost of maintaining both the base template and only the files necessary to extend the specified functionality for the copy. 
     
     
         3 . The system in  claim 2 , wherein the shadow module redirects a set of file system functions from the piece of template code to the code for the instance of the application. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The system in  claim 1 , wherein the shadow module creates a new copy of a file for the application if the copy of the file does not previously exist in the store. 
     
     
         6 . The system in  claim 1 , wherein a set of files is designated as belonging only to the instances of the application. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a customer relationship management application. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the set of file system functions is one of a file creation, a file modification, a file removal, changing metadata of a file, creating a file directory, browsing a file directory and deleting a file directory. 
     
     
         9 . A method, on a multi-instance computer application system, for reducing the marginal cost of deploying copies of a computer software application on the same computer hardware, the method comprising: storing, in a store associated with the computer system having a processing unit, one or more instances of an application and a piece of template code, wherein the template code is code that is shared between all of the copies of the instances of the application; overriding, by a language runtime engine executed by the processor of the computer system, a file access of the computer system; and executing, by the language runtime engine executed by the processor of the computer system when the file access is overridden, an instance of the application, using a piece of template code. 
     
     
         10 . The method in  claim 9 , where the template functions can be augmented in each copy according to a customer's needs by extending the base template via metadata files and code files unique to the copy, while preserving the same low cost of maintaining both the base template and only the files necessary to extend the specified functionality for the copy. 
     
     
         11 . The method in  claim 10 , wherein overriding a file access of the computer system further comprises redirecting, by a language runtime engine executed by the processor of the computer system, a set of file system functions from the piece of template code to the code for the instance of the application. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The method in  claim 9  further comprising creating, by a language runtime engine executed by the processor of the computer system, a new copy of a file for the application if the copy of the file does not previously exist in the store. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the application is a customer relationship management application running on the processor of the computer system.