According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus applied to a client management system managing desktop environments of client terminals comprises a first controller and a second controller. The first controller controls creation processing for first image files which are disk image files for the desktop environments and contain no information unique to the client terminals and difference files for formation of second image files respectively containing information unique to the client terminals based on the first image files. The second controller controls deletion processing for the difference file for which the second image file is completely acquired by a corresponding client terminal.