Method for providing access to independent network resources by establishing connection using an application programming interface function call without prompting the user for authentication data

• US 5,689,638 A
• Filed: 12/13/1994
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Po C.
• Application Number:
  US08/355,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 380/4, 380/21, 380/3, 380/23, 380/25, 395/200.09, 395/700, 395/186, 395/188.01, 395/200.12, 395/609
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method and system for providing access to independent network resources. At system logon, logon data is stored in memory of a client computer. When a server is accessed, server authentication data is stored in a cache. System logon data and authorization data can be applied to access an independent server resource without requiring user interaction.

Claims

1. In a programmed computer having a plurality of network providers for accessing remote network resources, where each of the network providers is associated with a distinct type of network software and each of the network providers manages connections between the computer and a computer network, a method for accessing independent network resources in a computer network, the method comprising:

storing logon data for a user when the user logs on to a local computer system in the computer network;

storing authentication data in an authentication data cache shared among the network providers when the network providers access an independent network resource;

in response to a request from an application program to enumerate network resources available at an independent network resource in a first network, checking whether a connection has been established to the independent network resource in the first network;

if the connection has not been established, executing a connection API function in response to a connection API function call from the application to establish the connection without prompting the user for authentication data including;

a) routing the the connection API function call to a network provider that manages connections with a network having the independent network resource;

b) using the network provider to authenticate access to the independent network resource without requesting authentication data from the user by searching for authentication data corresponding to the independent network resource in the authentication data cache and authenticating access to the independent network resource using the corresponding authentication data in the shared authentication data cache;

c) enumerating the network resources available at the independent network resource on the first network using the connection established with the independent network resource;

in response to a request from the application program to enumerate network resources available at an independent network resource at a second network, checking whether a connection has been established to the independent network resource in the second network; and

if the connection has not been established, executing the connection API function in response to a connection API function call from the application to establish the connection without prompting the user for authentication data including steps a-c

wherein the first and second networks run on different types of network software.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication data includes a user identification and a password.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication data is stored in a cache.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cache resides in main memory of the local computer system.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the authentication data in the cache is encrypted using logon data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempting to access the independent network resource using the stored authentication data is performed only if the attempting to access the network resource using the stored logon data fails in accessing the independent network resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempting to access the independent network resource using the stored logon data is performed only if the attempting to access the network resource using the stored authentication data fails in accessing the independent network resource.

8. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

prompting the user to enter authentication data only if the attempting to access the network resource using stored logon data and stored authentication data fails.

9. A computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions capable of causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A method for accessing independent network resources in a computer network with independent servers that do not share authentication data, the method comprising:

storing logon data for a user in main memory of a local computer system when the user logs on to the local computer system in the computer network;

storing a user name and password in a cache of the local computer system when a user accesses an independent server;

in response to a request from an application to enumerate network resources available at an independent server, checking whether a connection has been established to the independent server in the first network;

when the connection has not been established, executing a connection API function in response to a connection API function call from the application to establish the connection without prompting the user for authentication data including;

a) attempting to access the independent server using the stored logon data;

b) searching the cache in local memory for a server name associated with the independent server;

c) attempting to access the independent server using a user name and password stored in the cache and associated with the independent server;

d) if the attempting to access the independent server using the stored logon data and the stored authentication data both fail, then prompting the user to enter a user name and password

after a connection is established with the independent server, enumerating network resources available at the independent server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the stored authentication data in the cache is encrypted.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the stored authentication data in the cache is encrypted using logon data, and the cache in memory of a local computer system is accessible to user at the local computer system when logon data associated with the local computer system is entered in the local computer system.

13. A networking subsystem located in memory of a client computer system in a computer network, the networking subsystem for accessing network resources in the computer network, the network subsystem comprising:

a cache for storing logon data and authentication data;

a plurality of network providers, each associated with a distinct type of network and operable to establish a network connection between the client computer and the associated network, wherein each of the network providers is in communication with the cache for storing authentication data when a network resource on the associated network is authenticated, and for authenticating access to network resources in the associated network using the stored logon and authentication data before prompting a user to enter authentication data;

a multiple provider router providing a connection application programming interface (API) function and a browsing API function to application programs in the client computer and in communication with the application programs so that the application programs can invoke the connection API function to request a connection with a network resource, and in communication with the plurality of network providers for routing the request to the network provider associated with the network having the network resource,

wherein the multiple provider router is in communication with the network providers for requesting an enumeration of network resources on the associated networks when an application program invokes the browsing API function;

wherein the multiple provider router is in communication with each of the network providers to route a connection request to one of the network providers when an application invokes the connection API function;

wherein each of the network providers are in communication with the cache and are operable to connect to the associated networks by searching the cache for authentication data corresponding to the network resource and using the corresponding authentication data to establish a connection in response to the connection request; and

wherein each of the network providers are operable to return an identification of network resources on the associated networks in response to the request for enumeration from the multiple provider router; and

a plurality of redirectors, each associated with one of the network providers, each of the redirectors in communication with the associated network provider for reading and writing data to a remote server or device.