Network redirection for the enhancement of server capacities

• US 5,708,832 A
• Filed: 04/25/1994
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Welch, Robert P., Inniss, Hadyn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLANSBEE, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US08/232,306
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/600, 395/200, 395/650, 395/200.03, 395/200.06, 395/200.12, 395/610, 364/222.82, 364/228.4, 364/282.4
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network architecture and methodology provides two stages or levels of network redirection to allow effective importation of storage into either or both of a client/requester and a server. Each level of redirection is achieved through the establishment of a bi-directional communication link, preferably by the creation of an access list or export file at each host containing a portion of a distributed resource. By using two levels of network redirection, a terminal communicates only with a single, predetermined server, thus permitting the use of user-friendly Lan server systems. The predetermined server communicates with the remainder of the network as a client through the network communication protocols, thus removing constraints on operating systems which may be running at hosts. Full access to the distributed resource is thereby made transparent to the user and operational limitations engendered by limitations of hard disk capacity at terminals and servers are overcome.

Claims

1. A method of accessing portions of a distributed resource existing on one or more of a plurality of data processing means, said plurality of data processing means being linked by a network, comprising the steps of

establishing existing user access authorizations at each of said data processing means containing a portion of said distributed resource, said existing access authorizations established at each said data processing means identifying authorized users of portions of the distributed resource owned by the data processing means at which the existing user access authorization is established,

forming a first link of said network between a first data processing means of said plurality of data processing means in which a first portion of said distributed resource exists and a second data processing means of said plurality of data processing means in accordance with an existing access authorization for a predetermined user,

exporting a second portion of said distributed resource, including all or part of said first portion of said distributed resource, from said first data processing means to said second data processing means in accordance with said existing access authorizations in response to forming said first link and storing said second portion of said distributed resource as a file at said second data processing means, and

forming a second link of said network between a terminal associated with said predetermined user and said second data processing means of said plurality of data processing means whereby said distributed resource is accessible by said predetermined user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of forming a first link of said network includes a step of installing said portion of said distributed resource existing at said first data processing means on a said second data processing means.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said portion of said distributed resource is a file and said step of installing a portion of said distributed resource includes mounting said file in a file structure of said second data processing means.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said step of forming a second link includes a step of installing a file which has been installed at said second data processing means on said terminal associated with said predetermined user.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of forming a second link includes a step of installing a file which has been installed at said second data processing means on said terminal associated with said predetermined user.

6. A network including a plurality of data processing means and a distributed resource, portions of said distributed resource existing at ones of said plurality of data processing means, said network including

a first link between a terminal of said network and a predetermined one of said plurality of data processing means,

a second link between said predetermined one of said plurality of data processing means and another data processing means of said plurality of data processing means, said second link being independent of said first link and said second link corresponding to an existing access authorization of a user to a first portion of said distributed resource which exists at said another data processing means of said plurality of data processing means, said another data processing means of said plurality of data processing means containing a first portion of said distributed resource accessible by a predetermined user associated with said terminal in accordance with said existing access authorization,

each of said data processing means containing a portion of said distributed resource also including means for storing an export file comprising a list of existing user access authorizations,

means responsive to said export file for exporting from said another data processing means a second portion of said distributed resource to said predetermined one of said plurality of data processing means, said second portion of said distributed resource including all or part of said first portion of said distributed resource corresponding to said access authorization at said predetermined one of said plurality of data processing means, and

means for storing said second portion of said distributed resource at said predetermined on of said plurality of data processing means for access by said terminal of said network over said first link.

7. A network as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of data processing means includes a file structure and further including means for installing at least one file from the file structure of said another data processing means on the file structure of said predetermined one of said data processing means.

8. A network as recited in claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of data processing means includes a file structure and further including means for installing at least one file from the file structure of said predetermined one of said data processing means on said terminal.

9. A network as recited in claim 6, further including means for installing at least one file from the file structure of said predetermined one of said data processing means on said terminal.