A method for updating an application on a host system includes steps or acts of: installing an application on the host system; installing a virtual machine monitor on the host system, installing a first virtual container on the host system, wherein the first virtual container comprises at least one update to the installed application; and instantiating the first virtual container under the virtual machine monitor in a mode wherein the host system can be accessed but not modified and wherein instantiating the first virtual container includes updating the installed application in the first virtual computer and running the updated application in the first virtual container. The method may also include a step of confirming that the updated application runs properly. Optionally, the virtual container may be devirtualized.