SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A CONSISTENT USER NAME-SPACE ON NETWORKED DEVICES

• US 20120131128A1
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DE VORCHIK, DAVID G., MCKEE, TIMOTHY P., AUST, BRIAN S., LIN, YUN, MOORE, JASON F., PARDIKAR, SHISHIR, SAMJI, MOHAMMED, STEERE, DAVID C., VIRK, NAVJOT
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems

Abstract

Implementing a consistent user name-space on networked computing devices includes various components and methods. When a network connection between a local or host computing device and one or more remote computing devices is present, remote items are represented using the same methodology as items located on the host computing device. To the user, remote and local items are indistinguishable. When the network connection is lost or items located on a remote computer are otherwise unavailable, the unavailable items remain represented on the host computing device. Unavailable items are represented in a way that informs the user that the items may not be fully accessed.

Claims

1. In a computer network having two or more computing devices in communication, including a host computing device and a remote computing device, a method for generating a consistent user name-space, the method comprising:

mapping an item that is stored on the remote computing device to a file system of the host computing device when the remote computing device and the host computing device are connected to the computer network;

determining if the item is available for transmission from the remote computing device to the host computing device;

if the item is not available for transmission, denoting an unavailable status of the item in a user name-space of the host computing device; and

alternatively, if the item is available for transmission, denoting the available status of the item in the user name-space of the host computing device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the item is mapped to a client side cache of the host computing device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the item is mapped to a shared file of the host computing device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of mapping the item stored on the remote computing device to the file system of the host computing device includes:

identifying the item for mapping from the remote computing device to the host computing device;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device the structure of the item identified for mapping;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device metadata of the item identified for mapping;

and making the metadata of the item available on the host computing device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising

representing the item in the graphical user interface of the host computing device with an icon and a line highlighting the icon when a user attempts to share the item before the item is fully mapped.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

permitting modification of the metadata on the host computing device;

transmitting any modified metadata from the host computing device to the remote computing device; and

updating the file system of the remote computing device with the modified metadata.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein denoting the unavailable status of the item includes:

associating a variable with the item; and

generating a value for the variable that indicates the item is unavailable for transmission from the remote computing device to the host computing device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

representing the item in the graphical user interface of the host computing device with a diffuse icon if the variable indicates that the item is unavailable.

9. Computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed, perform a method for generating a consistent user name-space that is presentable on a host computing device and a remote computing device, the method comprising:

mapping an item that is stored on the remote computing device to a file system of the host computing device when the remote computing device and the host computing device are connected to the computer network;

determining if the item is available for transmission from the remote computing device to the host computing device;

if the item is not available for transmission, denoting an unavailable status of the item in a user name-space of the host computing device; and

alternatively, if the item is available for transmission, denoting the available status of the item in the user name-space of the host computing device.

10. The media as recited in claim 9 wherein the item is mapped to a client side cache of the host computing device.

11. The media as recited in claim 9 wherein the item is mapped to a shared file of the host computing device.

12. The media as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of mapping the item stored on the remote computing device to the file system of the host computing device includes:

identifying the item for mapping from the remote computing device to the host computing device;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device the structure of the item identified for mapping;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device metadata of the item identified for mapping;

and making the metadata of the item available on the host computing device.

13. The media as recited in claim 12, further comprising

representing the item in the graphical user interface of the host computing device with an icon and a line highlighting the icon when a user attempts to share the item before the item is fully mapped.

14. The media as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

permitting modification of the metadata on the host computing device;

transmitting any modified metadata from the host computing device to the remote computing device; and

updating the file system of the remote computing device with the modified metadata.

15. The media as recited in claim 9 wherein denoting the unavailable status of the item includes:

associating a variable with the item; and

generating a value for the variable that indicates the item is unavailable for transmission from the remote computing device to the host computing device.

16. The media as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

representing the item in the graphical user interface of the host computing device with a diffuse icon if the variable indicates that the item is unavailable.

17. In a computer network having two or more computing devices in communication, including a host computing device and a remote computing device, a method for mapping a plurality of items from the remote computing device to the host computing device, the method comprising:

receiving at the remote computing device a message that identifies items for mapping from the remote computing device to the host computing device;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device the structure of the items identified for mapping;

transmitting from the remote computing device to the host computing device the metadata of each item identified for mapping; and

storing the transmitted metadata on the host computing device.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising

prohibiting a user of the host computing device from sharing said item until the item'"'"'s file stream data is located on the host computing device.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising

representing the item in the graphical user interface of the host computing device with an icon and a line highlighting the icon if a user attempts to share said item.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

permitting modification of each item'"'"'s metadata on the host computing device;

transmitting any modified metadata from the host computing device to the remote computing device; and

updating the file system of the remote computing device with the modified metadata.