Cursor with last observed access state

• US 10,691,719 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Kleinpeter, Thomas, Albert, Akos, Lu, Helen, Staley, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Lynch, Sharon S
• Application Number:
  US15/857,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20190207940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/04 Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/119 Details of migration of file systems migration mechanisms in storage systems G06F3/0647
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/152 using file content signatures, e.g. hash values
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 : using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 : Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1767 : Concurrency control, e.g. optimistic or pessimistic approaches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 : Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 : Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/18 : File system types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 : Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 : Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 : Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 : implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 : Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 : Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2246 : Trees, e.g. B+trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2255 : Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 : Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 : Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 : Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 : Database cache management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 : Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 : Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 : Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 : Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 : using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 : Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 : Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 : Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 : to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 : Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 : Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 : Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 : in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 : in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 : Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 : Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0652 : Erasing, e.g. deleting, data cleaning, moving of data to a wastebasket
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 : Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 : Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 : using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures

Abstract

The present technology pertains to an organization directory hosted by a synchronized content management system. The corporate directory can provide access to user accounts for all members of the organization to all content items in the organization directory on the respective file systems of the members'"'"' client devices. Members can reach any content item at the same path as other members relative to the organization directory root on their respective client device. In some embodiments novel access permissions are granted to maintain path consistency.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, when executed the instructions are effective to cause a content management system to:

determine a latest revision to a first namespace accessible by a user account of the content management system and one or more access permissions for the first namespace;

send, to a client device, information regarding the latest revision to the first namespace, wherein the client device is authorized to access the user account on the content management system;

send, to the client device, a cursor associated with the latest revision to the first namespace, wherein the cursor includes a token based on last known access state data, a namespace identifier, and information identifying the latest revision;

receive, at the content management system, a request to commit a change to the first namespace, wherein the request includes the cursor, and wherein the cursor further includes information based on the change to the first namespace;

determine that the token provides access permission to the first namespace based on the one or more access permissions to the first namespace;

determine that the change to the first namespace is an update to the first namespace; and

commit the change to the first namespace based on the change to the first namespace being an update to the first namespace and the token providing access permission to the first namespace.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the content management system to:

receive a request to read further revisions from the first namespace at the content management system, the request to read further revisions including the cursor; and

send any further revisions to the first namespace based on the cursor identifying access permission to the first namespace as part of the last known access state data.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the instructions cause the content management system to:

prior to executing the instruction to send any further revisions to the first namespace, check the further revisions for a mount revision, and when the revisions to the first namespace include a mount revision, confirm access for the user account to the first namespace from an authorization service.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the content management system to:

receive a request to read revisions for the first namespace or commit revisions to the first namespace, wherein the request to read revisions does not include a last known access state; and

determine access permission to the first namespace for the user account from an authorization service.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the last known access state data includes a listing of paths for the first namespace to which the user account has partial access.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the content management system to:

send, to the client device, information regarding a latest revision to a second namespace accessible by the user account of the content management system, and wherein the cursor identifies the latest revision to the second namespace, and the last known access state data includes a second namespace and the first namespace.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the content management system to:

encrypt and sign the cursor.

8. A method comprising:

determining a latest revision to a first namespace accessible by a user account of the content management system and one or more access permissions for the first namespace;

sending, to a client device, information regarding the latest revision to the first namespace, wherein the client device is authorized to access the user account on the content management system;

sending, to the client device, a cursor associated with the latest revision to the first namespace, the cursor including a token based on last known access state data, a namespace identifier, and information identifying the latest revision;

receiving, at the content management system, a request to commit a change to the first namespace, wherein the request includes the cursor, and wherein the cursor further includes information based on the change to the first namespace;

determining that the token provides access permission to the first namespace based on the one or more access permissions to the first namespace;

determining that the change to the first namespace is an update to the first namespace; and

committing the change to the first namespace based on the change to the first namespace being an update to the first namespace and the token providing access permission to the first namespace.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving a request to read further revisions from the first namespace at the content management system, the request to read further revisions including the cursor; and

sending any further revisions to the first namespace based on the cursor identifying access permission to the first namespace as part of the last known access state data.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

prior to sending any further revisions to the first namespace, checking the further revisions for a mount revision; and

when the revisions to the first namespace include a mount revision, confirming access for the user account to the first namespace from an authorization service.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving a request to read revisions for the first namespace or commit revisions to the first namespace, wherein the request to read revisions does not include a last known access state; and

determining access permission to the first namespace for the user account from an authorization service.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the last known access state data includes a listing of paths for the first namespace to which the user account has traversal rights.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising:

sending, to the client device, information regarding a latest revision to a second namespace accessible by the user account of the content management system, and wherein the cursor identifies a latest revision to the second namespace, and the last known access state data includes a second namespace and the first namespace.

14. The method of claim 9, comprising:

signing the cursor prior to sending the cursor to the client device; and

prior to sending any further revisions to the first namespace, determining that the cursor is correctly signed.

15. A content management system comprising:

at least one or more processors;

at least one memory having instructions stored thereon, that when executed the instructions are effective to cause the at least one or more processors to;

determine a latest revision to a first namespace accessible by a user account of the content management system and one or more access permissions for the first namespace;

send, to a client device, information regarding the latest revision to the first namespace, wherein the client device is authorized to access the user account on the content management system;

encrypt and sign a cursor including a token based on last known access state data, a namespace identifier, and information identifying the latest revision;

send, to the client device, the cursor;

receive, at the content management system, a request to commit a change to the first namespace, wherein the request includes the cursor identifying information associated with the change to the first namespace and the request further includes information based on the change to the first namespace;

determine that the token provides access to the first namespace based on the one or more access permissions to the first namespace;

determine that the change to the first namespace is an update to the first namespace; and

commit the change to the first namespace based on the change to the first namespace being an update to the first namespace and the token providing access to the first namespace.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one or more processors to:

receive a request to read further revisions from the first namespace at the content management system, the request to read further revisions includes the cursor; and

send any further revisions to the first namespace based on the cursor identifying access permission to the first namespace as part of the last known access state data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the at least one or more processors to:

prior to executing the instruction to send any further revisions to the first namespace, check the further revisions for a mount revision, and when the revisions to the first namespace include a mount revision, confirm access for the user account to the first namespace from an authorization service.