1. A method for providing secure access to a virtual machine, the method comprising: dispensing an image corresponding to a virtual machine from a management appliance to a distributed computing system such that said virtual machine is implemented by at least one of a plurality of interconnected physical computing devices in said distributed computing system; establishing a trusted relationship between said management appliance and said virtual machine; and providing a user with access to said virtual machine from said management appliance without further authentication credentials from said user.