Embodiments of the invention provide a solution to optimize/minimize the total capacity of Gold Image within the entire datacenter which utilizes a scale-out type of storage systems. A method of server image provisioning comprises checking whether a gold image exists in a first storage system, the gold image being one of a real gold image or a virtual gold image; if no gold image exists in the first storage system, searching a remainder of the storage systems until a real gold image is found in a second storage system; after finding the real gold image in the second storage system, creating a virtual gold image in the first storage system, the virtual gold image in the first storage system being associated with the real gold image in the second storage system; and creating a snapshot volume in the first storage system based on the virtual gold image.