System and method for automounting and accessing remote file systems in Microsoft Windows in a networking environment
First Claim
1. A virtual file system accessing subsystem for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the virtual file system accessing subsystem comprising:
- A. a remote access element for initiating an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system; and
B. an operating system request redirector for enabling the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual file system accessing subsystem is disclosed for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network. The computer system runs a selected operating system, such as Microsoft'"'"'s MS-DOS and Windows operating systems. The virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitates the accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network. The virtual file system accessing subsystem comprises an operating system request redirector for enabling the operating system to direct access requests from an application program which identify the virtual logical storage device to a remote access element for processing. The remote access element initiates access operations in connection with the portion of the remote file system which is included in the virtual logical storage device file system in response to an access request that is generated by an application program which identifies the virtual logical storage device identifier, which access request has been transferred thereto said remote access element by the operating system. If the portion of the remote file system being accessed has not previously been mounted, the remote access element enables an automounting element to initiate a mounting operation in connection with the remote file system to mount the portion, after which the remote access element can perform the access operation.
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Citations
111 Claims
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1. A virtual file system accessing subsystem for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the virtual file system accessing subsystem comprising:
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A. a remote access element for initiating an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system; and B. an operating system request redirector for enabling the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of accessing a virtual file system in a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the method facilitating the accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. enabling the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element; and B. enabling a remote access element to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product for use in connection with a computer connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer system readable code embodied therein, the computer system readable code comprising:
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A. remote access element code devices for enabling the computer to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request received from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element enabling the computer during the access operation to access the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system; and B. operating system request redirector code devices for enabling computer to, in turn, enable the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device for processing in response to the remote access element code devices. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A virtual file system accessing subsystem for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a plurality of virtual logical storage devices each identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier, each virtual logical storage device having a virtual logical storage device file system including at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, at least some virtual logical storage device file systems including a hierarchical directory system defining a plurality of possible paths each having a path identifier, with at least one of the virtual logical storage device file systems that include hierarchical directory systems having an associated default path comprising one of said possible paths, the virtual file system accessing subsystem comprising:
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A. a remote access element for initiating an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to access requests received from the operating system which include the virtual logical storage device identifier and a said path identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system along the path identified by the path identifier; and B. an operating system request redirector for enabling the operating system to direct access requests received from an application program which identify a said virtual logical storage device to the remote access element, the operating system receiving access requests from a said application program and providing to the remote access element those access requests which include the virtual logical storage device identifier along with, for ones of the access requests received from the application program which do not include a path identifier, a path identifier for the default path for the virtual logical storage device identified by the virtual logical storage device. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of accessing a virtual file system in a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the method facilitating accessing of a plurality of virtual logical storage devices each identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier, each virtual logical storage device having a virtual logical storage device file system including at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, at least some virtual logical storage device file systems including a hierarchical directory system defining a plurality of possible paths each having a path identifier, with at least one of the virtual logical storage device file systems that include hierarchical directory systems having an associated default path comprising one of said possible paths, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. enabling the operating system to direct access requests received from an application program which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element, the operating system receiving access requests from a said application program and providing to a remote access element those access requests which include a said virtual logical storage device identifier along with, for ones of the access requests received from the application program which do not include a path identifier, a path identifier for the default path for the virtual logical storage device identified by the virtual logical storage device; and B. enabling the remote access element to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to access requests received from the operating system which include the virtual logical storage device identifier and a said path identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system along the path identified by the path identifier. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product for use in connection with a computer connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a plurality of virtual logical storage devices each identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier, each virtual logical storage device having a virtual logical storage device file system including at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, at least some virtual logical storage device file systems including a hierarchical directory system defining a plurality of possible paths each having a path identifier, with at least one of the virtual logical storage device file systems that include hierarchical directory systems having an associated default path comprising one of said possible paths, the virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer system readable code embodied therein, the computer system readable code comprising:
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A. remote access element code devices for enabling the computer to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to access requests received from the operating system which include the virtual logical storage device identifier and a said path identifier, the remote access element code devices enabling the computer, during the access operation, to access the portion of said remote file system that is included in said virtual logical storage device file system along the path identified by the path identifier; and B. operating system request redirector code devices for enabling the computer to, in turn, enable the operating system to direct access requests received from an application program which identify a said virtual logical storage device, for processing in response to the remote access element code devices, the operating system receiving access requests from a said application program and providing to the remote access element those access requests which include the virtual logical storage device identifier along with, for ones of the access requests received from the application program which do not include a path identifier, a path identifier for the default path for the virtual logical storage device identified by the virtual logical storage device. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A virtual file system accessing subsystem for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes an identifier identifying at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the virtual file system accessing subsystem comprising:
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A. a remote access element for initiating an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system identified by the remote file system portion identifier; and B. an operating system request redirector for enabling the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A method of accessing virtual file system in a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes an identifier identifying at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. enabling the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device to the remote access element; and B. enabling a remote access element to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element during the access operation accessing the portion of said remote file system identified by the remote file system portion identifier. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. A virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product for use in connection with a computer system connected in a computer network, the computer system running a selected operating system, the virtual file system accessing subsystem facilitating accessing of a virtual logical storage device that is identified by a virtual logical storage device identifier and that has a virtual logical storage device file system that includes an identifier identifying at least a portion of a remote file system maintained by another device connected in the computer network, the virtual file system accessing subsystem computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer system readable code embodied therein, the computer system readable code comprising:
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A. remote access element code devices for enabling the computer to initiate an access operation in connection with the virtual logical storage device file system maintained by the virtual logical storage device in response to an access request that the remote access element receives from the operating system which includes the virtual logical storage device identifier, the remote access element code devices enabling the computer, during the access operation, to access the portion of said remote file system identified by the remote file system portion identifier; and B. operating system request redirector code devices for enabling the computer to enable the operating system to direct access requests which identify the virtual logical storage device for processing in response to the remote access element code devices. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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Specification