Network server for local and remote resources
First Claim
1. A method for managing access by clients in a network to a first, local resource managed by a network server and a second, remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to the network server, said method comprising the steps of:
- sending from one of said clients to said network server a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access the first resource, said session establishment request including an account name and password for said one client;
in response to the session establishment request, establishing by said network server a session between said network server and said one client, and storing said account name and password;
in response to the request to connect to or access said first resource, determining that said first resource is managed by said network server, and determining if said connection is available to said first resource;
subsequently, sending from said one client to said network server a request to connect to or access the second resource; and
in response to said subsequent request to connect to or access said second resource, determining by said network server that said remote computer manages said second resource, sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to connect to or access said second named resource; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network server permits clients on the network to access one or more local resources managed by the network server and one or more remote resources managed by one or more respective remote computers coupled to the network server. When a client desires to access any of the resources, the client first requests a session or log-on to the network server by supplying a valid account name and password. Either with the session establishment request or subsequently during the same session, the client requests a connection or access to a resource. The client need not know the location of the resource or the computer (remote or network server) which manages the resource. The network server determines which computer manages the requested resource. If the network server manages the resource, then the network server determines if the connection is available or provides the access as requested and responds to the client. Then, if the client subsequently requests a connection with or access to a resource managed by a remote computer, or if the original request was for a resource managed by the remote computer, the network server sends a session establishment request and connect or access request to the remote computer. The client need not send a separate session establishment request for the remote computer. If the remote computer grants the session, then the client can access the resource managed by the remote computer.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for managing access by clients in a network to a first, local resource managed by a network server and a second, remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to the network server, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said clients to said network server a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access the first resource, said session establishment request including an account name and password for said one client; in response to the session establishment request, establishing by said network server a session between said network server and said one client, and storing said account name and password; in response to the request to connect to or access said first resource, determining that said first resource is managed by said network server, and determining if said connection is available to said first resource; subsequently, sending from said one client to said network server a request to connect to or access the second resource; and in response to said subsequent request to connect to or access said second resource, determining by said network server that said remote computer manages said second resource, sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to connect to or access said second named resource; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for managing access by clients in a network to a local resource managed by a network server and a remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to the network server, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said clients to said network server a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access a first resource, said session establishment request including an account name and a password for said one client; in response to the session establishment request, establishing by said network server a session with said network server, and storing said account name and password; in response to the connect or access request, determining that said remote computer manages said first resource, sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to connect to or access said first resource; subsequently, sending from said one client to said network server a request to connect to or access a second resource; and in response to said subsequent request, determining that said network server manages said second resource, and determining whether said second resource is available; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network server for managing access by clients in a network to a first, local resource managed by the network server and a second, remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to the network server, said network server comprising:
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means for receiving from one of said clients on said network a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access the first resource, the session establishment request including an account name and password for said one client; means, responsive to the session establishment request, for establishing a session between said network server and said one client, and storing said account name and password; means, responsive to the request to connect to or access said first resource, for determining that said first resource is managed by said network server, and determining if said connection is available to said first resource; and means, responsive to a subsequent request from said one client to connect to or access the second resource, for determining that said remote computer manages said second resource, sending a request to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request to said remote computer to connect to or access said second resource; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28)
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26. A network server for managing access by clients in a network to a local resource managed by the network server and a remote resource managed by a remote computer coupled to the network server, said network server comprising:
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means for receiving from one of said clients on said network a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access a first resource, the session establishment request including an account name and a password for said one client; means, responsive to the session establishment request, for establishing a session with said network server, and storing said account name and password; means, responsive to the connect or access request, for determining that said remote computers manages said first resource, sending a request to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request to said remote computer to connect to or access said first resource; and means, responsive to a subsequent request to connect to or access a second resource, for determining that said network server manages said second resource, and determining whether said second resource is available; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (27, 29, 30)
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31. A method for managing access by clients in a network to a remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to a server of said network, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said clients to the network server a request to establish a session and a request to connect to or access the remote resource, said session establishment request including an account name and a password for said one client; in response to the session establishment request, establishing by said network server a session with said network server, and storing said account name and password; and in response to the connect or access request, determining that said remote computer manages said remote resource, sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to connect to or access said remote resource; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A network server for managing access by clients in a network to a remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to said network server, said network server comprising:
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means for receiving from one of said clients on the network a request to establish a session with said network server and a request to connect to or access the remote resource, said session establishment request including an account name and a password for said one client; means, responsive to the session establishment request, for establishing said session with said network server, and storing said account name and password; and means, responsive to the request to connect to or access the remote resource, for determining that said remote computer manages said remote resource, sending a request by said network server to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request to said remote computer to connect to or access said remote resource; and
whereinsaid network server and said one client reside in respective computers separate from each other and said remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A computer program product for instructing a network server computer to manage access by a client in a network to a remote resource managed by a remote computer logically and/or physically coupled to said network server computer, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; first program instruction means for instructing the network server computer to receive from said client a request to establish a session with the network server computer and a request to connect to or access the remote resource, said session establishment request including an account name and a password for said client; second program instruction means for instructing the network server computer to respond to the session establishment request, by establishing said session with said network server computer, and storing said account name and password; and third program instruction means for instructing the network server computer to respond to the request to connect to or access the remote resource, by determining that said remote computer manages said remote resource, sending a request from said network server computer to said remote computer to establish a session with said remote computer, said request including said stored account name and password, and sending a request to said remote computer to connect to or access said remote resource; and
whereinsaid client resides in a computer separate from said network server computer and said remote computer; and said first, second and third program instruction means are recorded on said medium. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification