Managing Imaging of Multiple Computing Devices

1. A system for management of provisioning of devices, comprising: a computing system comprising a processor coupled to memory, the memory containing computer-executable instructions for execution by the computing system to implement a device image manager, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions causes the computing system to: transmit a set of device images to multiple computing devices, wherein the set of device images includes a first device image which, when processed by a computing device, enables the computing device to carry out a first desired functionality and a second device image which, when processed by the computing device, enables the computing device to carry out a second desired functionality different from the first desired functionality, wherein transmission of the set of device images causes the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices of the multiple computing devices, and wherein transmission of the set of device images to the multiple computing devices occurs independently from implementation, at the multiple computing devices, of instructions to provision the multiple computing devices with a device image of the set of device images; subsequent to transmitting the set of device images, receive a request to provision the multiple computing devices according to the first desired functionality corresponding to the first device image; and in response to the received request, transmit instructions to the multiple computing devices to process, at individual computing devices of the multiple computing device, the first device image of the set of device images, as previously received independently from implementation of instructions to provision the multiple computing devices with a device image of the set of device images and as stored locally to individual computing devices of the multiple computing devices, wherein the instructions specify the first device image, and wherein the processing enables each of the multiple computing devices to carry out the first desired functionality.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the set of device images includes at least one of an operating system or an operating system kernel.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of device images is determined at least in part based on a characteristic of the multiple computing devices.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic of the multiple computing devices is determined at least in part based on at least one of a device hardware profile, a device network profile, a device benchmark profile, and device location information.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices of the multiple computing devices includes causing each of the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images at a data storage device internal to each computing devices.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein causing each of the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images locally includes causing each the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images on a hard disk drive.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices of the multiple computing devices includes causing at least one of the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images on a rack control device of a computing rack including the at least one computing device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices of the multiple computing devices includes causing at least one of the multiple computing devices to store the set of device images on network accessible storage, the network accessible storage being distinct from the device image manager and sharing a local area network with the at least one computing device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the computing system to: receive an updated device image, the updated device image corresponding to an image of the set of device images; and transmit the updated device image to the multiple computing devices, wherein transmission of the updated device image causes the multiple computing devices to store the updated device image.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to process, at individual computing devices of the multiple computing device, the first device image of the set of device images, include instructions to request transmission of the updated device image.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to process, at individual computing devices of the multiple computing device, the first device image of the set of device images, include instructions to verify the at least one device image.

12. A method for provisioning a set of computing devices, comprising: determining, at an image management device, a set of device images including a first device image corresponding to a first set of instructions executable by a computing device to enable the computing device to carry out a first desired functionality and a second device image that corresponds to a second set of instructions executable by the computing device to enable the computing device to carry out a second desired functionality; transmitting, from data storage associated with the image management device, the set of device images to a determined set of computing devices independent of implementation, at the set of computing devices, of instructions to provision the set of computing devices with a device image of the set of device images, wherein transmission of the set of device images causes the set of computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices within the set of computing devices; detecting at the image management device, a provision event, the provision event corresponding to a detection that at least one computing device of the set of computing devices should be enabled to implement the first desired functionality; and transmitting, by the image management device, instructions to the at least one computing device to process, at the at least one computing device, the first device image of the previously stored set of device images, wherein the instructions specify the first device image, and wherein the processing enables the at least one computing device to carry out the first desired functionality.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of device images is determined at least in part based on a characteristic of the at least one computing device.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the characteristic of the at least one computing device is determined at least in part based on at least one of a device hardware profile, a device network profile, a device benchmark profile, and device location information.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein causing the set of computing devices to store the set of device images includes causing each of the set of computing devices to store the set of device images on at least one of a hard disk drive, a rack control device, and a network accessible storage distinct from the source of the transmitted set of device images.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising: receiving an updated device image, the updated device image corresponding to an image of the set of device images; and transmitting the updated device image to the set of computing devices, wherein transmission of the updated device image causes set of computing devices to store the updated device image.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein transmitting instructions to the at least one computing device to process at least one locally stored device image of the stored set of device images includes transmitting instructions to the at least one computing device to request transmission of the updated device image.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein transmitting instructions to the at least one computing device to process at least one locally stored device image of the stored set of device images includes transmitting instructions to the at least one computing device to verify the at least one device image.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising: determining a second set of device images, the second set of device images distinct from the previously determined set of device images; transmitting the second set of device images to the determined set of computing devices; detecting a second provision event; and in response to the detected second provision event, causing at least one computing device of the set of computing device to process at least one device image of the second set of device images.

20. A system for provisioning a set of computing devices, comprising: a computing system comprising a processor coupled to memory, the memory containing computer-executable instructions for executable by the computing system to implement a device image manager, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions causes the computing system to: determine a set of computing devices; determine a set of device images including a first device image that, when processed by a computing device of the set of computing devices, enables the computing device to carry out a first desired functionality and a second device image that, when processed by the computing device of the set of computing devices, enables the computing device to carry out a second desired functionality; independent of implementation, at the set of computing devices, of instructions to provision the set of computing devices with a device image of the set of device images, cause the set of computing devices to store the set of device images locally to individual computing devices of the set of computing devices; and transmit instructions to the set of computing devices to process, at individual computing devices of the set of computing devices, the first device image of the previously stored set of device images, wherein the instructions specify the first device image, and wherein the processing enables each computing device of the set of computing device to carry out the first desired functionality.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the set of device images is determined at least in part based on a characteristic of the set of computing devices.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the characteristic of the set of computing devices is determined at least in part based on at least one of a device hardware profile, a device network profile, a device benchmark profile, and device location information.

23. The system of claim 20 , wherein causing the set of computing devices to store the set of device images includes causing each of the set of computing devices to store the set of device images on at least one of a hard disk drive, a rack control device, and a network accessible storage distinct from the device image manager.

24. The system of claim 20 , wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the computing system to: receive an updated device image, the updated device image corresponding to an image of the set of device images; and transmit the updated device image to the set of computing devices, wherein transmission of the updated device image causes the multiple computing devices to store the updated device image.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein transmitting instructions to the set of computing devices to process the first device image of the stored set of device images includes transmitting instructions to the set of computing devices to request transmission of the updated device image.

26. The system of claim 20 , wherein transmitting instructions to the set of computing devices to process the first device image of the stored set of device images includes transmitting instructions to the set of computing devices to verify the first device image.

27. The system of claim 20 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the computing system to determine a second set of device images, the second set of device images comprising device images distinct from the device images contained within the previously determined set of device images, wherein causing the set of computing devices to store the set of device images includes causing the set of computing devices to store the second set of device images.