Method and apparatus for providing a network configuration database

• US 5,410,691 A
• Filed: 12/28/1993
• Issued: 04/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NeXT Computer, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, PETER
• Application Number:
  US08/174,213
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/425, 395/650
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network database. The network database is arranged in a plurality of domains in a logical hierarchy. Each domain of the hierarchy represents a body of information associated with a logically related group of users or related group of computers. A relative naming scheme is implemented in which a domain stores the names of only its parent domain and child domains. This permits reconfiguration of the network to be accomplished without changing the database structure. Each domain stores information in a hierarchical structure known as a "directory." Each directory consists of a list of zero or more "properties," each having an associated name and ordered list of values.

Claims

1. A method of storing configuration information for a network of computers, said method comprising the steps of:

on at least one computer of said network, executing operations for creating a domain hierarchy consisting of a plurality of domains, said domain hierarchy representing a logical organization of said network, each domain associated with said computers on said network, each domain including a name of each domain logically located above and logically located below said each domain in said domain hierarchy;

said operations creating a directory tree within each of said domains, each said directory tree including one or more directories for storing information associated with each domain and information associated with resources and services of said computers available to each domain; and

,

said operations storing each directory tree on storage media of said computers within the domain associated with said directory tree.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each directory stores information in an ordered list of properties, where each property consists of a property name and an ordered list of values associated with said property name.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein copies of each said directory tree are stored on said computers in said domain associated with said directory tree.

4. A method for storing logical configuration information in a network database, said method comprising the steps of:

executing on at least one computer of said network operations for creating an ordered list of properties of a directory of a directory tree of a domain associated with said computers of said network, each property of said list of properties containing a name and an ordered list of values, said each property defining a subset of said logical configuration information;

said operations defining a name for each property;

said operations defining an ordered list of values associated with each said name, said values representing said subset of said logical configuration information associated with said property; and

,

said operations storing said property list, names and values on a storage media of said computers.

5. A method of storing configuration information for a network of computers, said method comprising the steps of:

executing on at least one computer of said network operations for creating a domain hierarchy of one or more domains, said logical domain hierarchy representing a logical organization of said network, each domain associated with one or more computers on said network, each domain including a name of each domain logically located above and logically located below said domain in said domain hierarchy;

said operations creating a directory tree within each of said domains, each said directory tree including one or more directories for storing information associated with each domain and resources and information associated with resources and services of said computers available to each domain, each directory storing information in an ordered list of properties, where each property consists of a property name and an ordered list of values associated with said property name;

restricting access by users to values associated with a first property by creating a second property associated with said first property, said second property containing an ordered list of values that identify permissible access to said first property'"'"'s values;

said operations storing each directory tree on a storage media of said computers within the domain associated with said directory tree;

said operations comparing a user'"'"'s identification with said second property'"'"'s values when said user attempts to access said first property'"'"'s values; and

said operations denying access by said user to said first property'"'"'s values when said second property'"'"'s values do not include said user'"'"'s identification.