Performing Administrative Tasks Associated with a Network-Attached Storage System at a Client

• US 20110302280A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: McJilton, Charles Martin, Cesario, Paul Michael, Haines, Matthew D., Peferson, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,354,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Installer code is received from a network-attached storage (NAS) system at a client device. The installer code executing at the client device performs a selected subset of administrative tasks at the client device, where the administrative tasks are tasks associated with the NAS system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a network-attached storage (NAS) system, installer code at a client device; and

performing, by the installer code executing at the client device, a selected subset of administrative tasks at the client device, wherein the administrative tasks are tasks associated with the NAS system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the installer code at the client comprises a web browser at the client receiving the installer code from a web interface at the NAS system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the selected subset of administrative tasks comprises setting up a user account at the NAS system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the selected subset of administrative tasks comprises installing a subset of software components relating to the NAS system on the client device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein installing the subset of the software components on the client device comprises installing a backup software component to perform file backup from the client device to the NAS system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein installing the subset of the software components comprises installing a control software component to manage the NAS system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the selected subset of administrative tasks comprises at least one of:

(1) setting up one or more firewall ports at the NAS system, (2) changing a security setting at the NAS system, or (3) setting up shared folders at the NAS system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the installer code comprises receiving one of an ActiveX code and a Java applet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the selected subset of administrative tasks comprises synchronizing user information from the client device to the NAS system.

10. A system comprising:

a client device; and

a network-attached storage (NAS) system coupled to the client device, the NAS system containing installer code,

wherein the client device is configured to download the installer code from the NAS system to the client device, and

wherein the installer code is executable in the client device to perform a selected subset of administrative tasks relating to the NAS system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the client device has a web browser, and wherein the web browser is configured to download the installer code to the client device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the NAS system has a web interface that is accessible by the web browser to download the installer code.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the selected subset of administrative tasks performed by the installer code at the client device comprises installation of a selected subset of NAS-related software components on the client device.

14. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a computer to:

send a request to a network-attached storage (NAS) system, wherein the NAS system contains installer code;

download the installer code from the NAS system to the computer; and

execute the installer code to perform a selected subset of administrative tasks related to the NAS system.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions when executed cause the computer to further:

submit first information relating to a user and the computer to the NAS system; and

receive second information based on the first information regarding tasks recommended by the NAS system to be performed at the computer.