Access control management

• US 20080215806A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Billimoria, Shiraz, Maddocks, Steven, Ballard, Curtis C., Feather, Stanley S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/805 using a security table for the storage sub-system
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

In one embodiment, a cartridge library comprises a library controller comprising a first processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the processor module, and a cartridge drive controller comprising a second processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the processor module. The cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to receive, from a management component coupled to the cartridge library, at least one access control parameter, wherein the access control parameter identifies at least one of a user, a server, a command, or a time, record, in a memory medium coupled to the cartridge library, the at least one access control parameter; receive a request for at least one resource of the cartridge library; and use the access control parameter in determining whether to grant access to the at least one resource of the cartridge library.

Claims

4-1. The method of claim 1, wherein recording, in a memory medium associated with a cartridge library controller, the at least one access control parameter comprises:

verifying, in the management component, the at least one access control parameter; and

storing the at least one access control parameter in a data file in a removable non-volatile storage medium coupled to the management component.

8. A cartridge library, comprising:

a library controller comprising a first processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the processor module;

a cartridge drive controller comprising a second processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the processor module,

wherein the cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to;

receive, from a management component coupled to the cartridge library, at least one access control parameter, wherein the access control parameter identifies at least one of a user, a server, a command, or a time;

record, in a memory medium coupled to the cartridge library, the at least one access control parameter;

receive a request for at least one resource of the cartridge library; and

use the access control parameter in determining whether to grant access to the at least one resource of the cartridge library.

9. The cartridge library of claim 8, wherein the cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to receive via a user interface in the management component instructions which assign access rights to a user of the storage system.

10. The cartridge library of claim 9, wherein the access rights limit the user'"'"'s ability to perform at least one command on at least one resource of the cartridge library during at least one time period.

11. The cartridge library of claim 8, wherein the cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to:

verify, in the management component, the at least one access control parameter;

transmit the at least one access control parameter to at least one library controller; and

store the at least one access control parameter in a data file maintained by the at least one library controller.

12. The cartridge library of claim 8, wherein recording, in a memory medium associated with a cartridge library controller, the at least one access control parameter comprises:

verifying, in the management component, the at least one access control parameter; and

storing the at least one access control parameter in a data file in a removable non-volatile storage medium coupled to the management component.

13. The cartridge library of claim 8, wherein using the access control parameter in determining whether to grant access to the at least one resource of the cartridge library comprises:

obtaining an identifier from the request for at least one resource, wherein the identifier identifies a user of the storage library;

locating a record associated with the identifier in an access control file; and

granting access to the resource when the request is consistent with access parameters in the access control file.

14. The cartridge library of claim 8, wherein the cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to:

obtain an identifier from the request for at least one resource, wherein the identifier identifies a user of the storage library;

locate a record associated with the identifier in an access control file; and

invoke an error routine when the request is inconsistent with access parameters in the access control file.

15. The cartridge library of claim 14, wherein the cartridge drive controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the first processor module to:

transmit an error message to the user, wherein the error message indicates that a requested resource is unavailable to the user at this time; and

record the error message in a log.

16. A computer program product comprising logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to manage access requests in a cartridge library by performing operations, comprising:

receiving, in a management component coupled to the cartridge library, at least one access control parameter, wherein the access control parameter identifies at least one of a user, a server, a command, or a time;

recording, in a memory medium coupled to the cartridge library, the at least one access control parameter;

receiving a request for at least one resource of the cartridge library; and

using the access control parameter in determining whether to grant access to the at least one resource of the cartridge library.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to manage access requests in a cartridge library by performing operations, comprising receiving via a user interface in the management component instructions which assign access rights to a user of the storage system.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the access rights limit the user'"'"'s ability to perform at least one command on at least one resource of the cartridge library during at least one time period.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to manage access requests in a cartridge library by performing operations, comprising:

verifying, in the management component, the at least one access control parameter; and

storing the at least one access control parameter in a data file in a removable non-volatile storage medium coupled to the management component.