Information processing system enabling access to different types of files, control method for the same and storage medium for storing programs to control the same

• US 5,832,510 A
• Filed: 07/03/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mori, Mitsuru, Ito, Toshiya, Nakata, Yukio, Ito, Hiromichi, Arai, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US08/675,055
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 395/60, 395/61, 395/62, 707/201, 707/10
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

There is provided an information processing system in which files on plural file servers having different file management manners can be efficiently accessed by a single client program, a control method for the information processing system, and a storage medium for storing programs for performing the control. A gateway program 20 is provided on a first server information processing device 120, and an agent program 30 which is operated in conformity with the gateway program 20 is provided on a second server information processing device 130, whereby a copy of the directory structure of files on the second server information processing device is created on the first server information processing device 120. In addition, at the time when the copy is created, data in a file are not copied, and the data copy is performed only when the file is opened by an application program 8a of a client information processing device 110.

Claims

1. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said access means at a predetermined timing.

2. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand and successively transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said access means at a predetermined time interval.

3. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand which is successively output form said access means at the predetermined timing, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said access means.

4. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand which is successively output from said access means at the predetermined time interval, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said access means.

5. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand and transmits, to said access means, the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said access means and file information,

wherein the file information to be transmitted to said access means is different from actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

6. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing device includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files which are managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand supplied from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means transmits a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to said service means, and

said service means receives the processing demand and transmits, to said access means, the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said access means and file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure,

wherein the file information to be transmitted to said access means in non-entity file information which is obtained by imitating actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

7. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device at a predetermined timing.

8. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device successively transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device at a predetermined time interval.

9. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device which is successively instructed at a predetermined timing, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said first server information processing device.

10. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device which is successively instructed at a predetermined time interval, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said first server information processing device.

11. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device transmits to said first server information processing device the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device and file information which is different from actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

12. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

outputting a processing demand on information on at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by the second server information processing device from said first server information processing device to said second server information processing device; and

receiving the processing demand from said first server information processing device by said second server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and

transmitting the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said second server information processing device to said first server information processing device,

wherein said second server information processing device transmits to said first server information processing device the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device and file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure and which has no entity which is obtained by imitating actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

13. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device at a predetermining timing.

14. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and successively transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device at a predetermined time interval.

15. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device which is successively output at a predetermined timing to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said first server information processing device.

16. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device which is successively output at a predetermined time interval to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and transmits the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand to said first server information processing device.

17. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand and transmits, to said first information processing device, the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device and file information,

wherein the file information to be transmitted to said first server information processing device is different from actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

18. A storage medium storing an information processing program for an information processing system which includes a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices through which an access is mutually performed between said first and second server information processing devices, said storage medium being stored with information processing programs to perform the mutual access between said first and second server information processing devices,

wherein on the basis of the information processing programs, said first server information processing device outputs to said second information processing device a processing demand of information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device, and said second server information processing device receives the processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand and transmits, to said first information processing device, the information on the directory structure based on the processing demand from said first server information processing device and file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure,

wherein the file information to be transmitted to said first server information processing device is file information having no entity which is obtained by imitating file information having no entity which is obtained by imitating actual file information which is specified by the information on the directory structure.

19. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device having a second file server program with an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices, wherein

said first server information processing includes access means for outputting a processing demand of an access to files managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means for receiving the processing demand from said access means to perform the processing corresponding to the processing demand, and wherein

said access means includes directory synchronizing means for detecting information on the structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device through said service means to create a copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device in accordance with the detected information, the directory structure being formatted so as to be managed by said first file server program, and add the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device into the directory structure of files managed by said first file server program, and also performing the detection of the information at a predetermined timing to update the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device every time the detection of the information is performed.

20. The information processing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said directory synchronizing means includes storage means for storing a previous synchronization time, search means for searching, through said service means, files which have been changed subsequently to the stored previous synchronization time in files which are managed by said second server information processing device and contained in at least a part of the directory structure which is a target to be copied, and update means for updating the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device for the searched files.

21. The information processing system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said service means includes directory synchronizing service means for receiving a search demand to files to be updated which is transmitted from said directory synchronizing means, searching files which have been changed after the previous synchronizing time and are contained in those files which are managed by said second server information processing device and contained in at least a part of the directory structure which is a target to be copied, and then returning information on the changed files to said directory synchronizing means.

22. The information processing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein in the copy process of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device, when a file which is managed by said second server information processing and is to be copied is a normal file other than the directory file, said directory synchronizing means does not copy data stored in the file concerned which is managed by said second server information processing device.

23. The information processing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein in the copy process of the directory structure the files managed by said second server information processing device, when a file which is managed by said second server information processing and is to be copied is a normal file other than the directory file, the file to be created is a sparse file in which dummy data are written only at the same position as the last data position of the file concerned which is managed by said second server information processing device.

24. The information processing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said directory synchronizing means creates the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device so that the capacity of a storage area occupied by the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device is smaller than the capacity of a storage area occupied by the directory structure of said second server information processing device which serves as an origin for the copy.

25. The information processing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein in the copy process of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information device, said directory synchronizing means sets the file date and the file size of files contained in the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device to be identical to the file date and the file size of the files which are managed by said second server information processing device serving as an origin for the copy.

26. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device with a second file server program having an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, at least one client information processing device, having display means, which has a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files on said first server information processing device through said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices and said at least one client information processing device,

wherein said first server information processing device includes access means for accessing a file which is managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means which is operated in accordance with the access means, and wherein

said access means receives a file processing demand transmitted from each client program to judge whether the file processing demand contains a processing demand to a file managed by said second file server program, converts the processing demand of the file managed by said second file server program contained in the file processing demand to a second processing demand which can be used by said second file server program, and transmits the second processing demand to said second server information processing device if the file processing demand is Judged to contain the processing demand to the file, and includes hook means for hooking an access to the file managed by said second server information processing device which is transmitted from each client program, file copy means for copying the data of the file concerned through said service means into the directory structure managed by said first file server program if the access is an open demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device, copy back means for copying back the file copied by said file copy means through said service means to said second server information processing device, and copy back start means for starting said copy back means as another process if the access is a close demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device, and

said service means receives the second processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform a processing which is predetermined in accordance with the second processing demand.

27. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said access means completes the close demand to the file managed by said second information processing device without waiting for completion of a copy back processing by said copy back means, and continuously receives a processing subsequent to the close demand from said client program.

28. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said file copy means checks whether the copy of the data of the file has already existed, and performs no copy processing if the copy is judged to exist.

29. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said copy back means erases the data of the file which is copied by said file copy means after the copy back processing.

30. The information processing system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said copy back means does not erase data after the copy back processing is finished when another open demand to the file concerned other than the open demand corresponding to the close demand is issued.

31. The information processing system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the deletion of the data is performed by making the file concerned a sparse file in which dummy data are written only at the same position as the last data position of an original file for the copy.

32. The information processing system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said copy back means does not erase the data of the file concerned after the copy back processing when the open demand to the file concerned is issued subsequently to the close demand to the file concerned.

33. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said copy back means delays the start of the copy back processing by a predetermined time, and performs no copy back processing when a deletion demand to the file concerned is issued subsequently to the close demand to the file concerned within the delay time.

34. The information processing system as claimed in claim 33, wherein said copy back means ceases the delay and immediately perform the copy back processing when the open demand to the file concerned is issued subsequently to the close demand within the delay time.

35. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said copy back means performs the copy back processing only when another open demand in a write mode to the file concerned is issued.

36. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said copy back means checks one of attributes of the copied file, which indicates whether a correction processing is performed on the data stored in the file concerned, and performs the copy back processing only when the attribute indicates the correction of the data.

37. The information processing system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the attribute is an archive bit indicating the necessity of the backup of the file.

38. The information processing system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said file copy means performs an open processing on files managed by said second server information processing device through said service means before the file copy processing, and retries the open processing until the opening processing succeeds in the case where the open processing becomes an error because the open processing is beyond the restriction of the number of files which can be simultaneously opened in said second server program.

39. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device with a second file server program having an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, at least one client information processing device, having display means, which has a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files on said first server information processing device through said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices and said at least one client information processing device,

wherein said first server information processing device includes access means for accessing a file which is managed by said second server information processing device, and

said second server information processing device includes service means which is operated in accordance with the access means, and wherein

said access means receives a file processing demand transmitted from each client program to judge whether the file processing demand contains a processing demand to a file managed by said second file server program, converts the processing demand of the file managed by said second file server program contained in the file processing demand to a second processing demand which can be used by said second file server program, and transmits the second processing demand to said second server information processing device if the file processing demand is judged to contain the processing demand to the file, and

said service means receives the second processing demand from said first server information processing device to perform a processing which is predetermined in accordance with the second processing demand and includes remote log-in service means for receiving a log-in demand for starting an access to files managed by said second server information processing device, which is transmitted from said first server information processing device, and starting, every received log-in demand, user process service means for processing an access demand to the files managed by said second server information processing device.

40. The information processing system as claimed in claim 39, wherein said user process service means receives an access demand from said client program which is re-directed by said first server information processing device to perform the processing corresponding to the access demand on the corresponding file managed by said second server information processing device, and transmitting the processing result to said first server information processing device.

41. An information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device with a second file server program having an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, at least one client information processing device having a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files on said first server information processing device through said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices and said at least one client information processing device, wherein said first server information processing device includes access means for accessing a file which is managed by said second server information processing device, said second server information processing device includes service means which is operated in accordance with said access means, and said access means includes hook means for hooking an access to the file managed by said second server information processing device which is transmitted from each client program, file copy means for copying the data of the file concerned through said service means into the directory structure managed by said first file server program if the access is an open demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device, copy back means for copying back the file copied by said file copy means through said service means to the origin for the copy, copy back start means for starting said copy back means as another process if the access is a close demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device, and directory synchronizing means for detecting information on the directory structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device through said service means to create a copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device in accordance with the detected information, the directory structure being formatted so as to be managed by said first file server program, and add the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device into the directory structure of files managed by said first file server program, and also performing the detection of the information periodically to update the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device every time the detection of the information is performed.

42. A control method for an information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device with a second file server program having an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, at least one client information processing device having a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files on said first server information processing device through said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices and said at least one client information processing device, whereby a mutual access between information processing systems is enabled, characterized by comprising the steps of:

detecting information on the structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device to create a copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device in accordance with the detected information, the directory structure thus created being formatted so as to be managed by said first file server program, and add the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device into the directory structure of files managed by said first file server program; and

performing the detection of the information at a predetermined timing to update the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device every time the detection of the information is performed.

43. A control method for an information processing system including a first server information processing device having a first file service program which enables common use of files, a second server information processing device with a second file server program having an access interface to commonly-usable files which is different from that of said first file server program, at least one client information processing device having a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files on said first server information processing device through said first file server program, and a network for connecting said first and second server information processing devices and said at least one client information processing device, whereby a mutual access between information processing systems is enabled, characterized by comprising the steps of:

hooking an access to a file managed by said second server information processing device, which is transmitted from said client program;

copying data of a file managed by said second server information processing device into the directory structure managed by said first file server program when the access is an open demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device;

copying back the file copied by file copy means through service means to said second server information processing device; and

starting copy back means as another process when the access is a close demand to a file managed by said second server information processing device.

44. A server information processing device which has a first file server program enabling common use of files and is connected through a network to a second server information processing device with a second file server program having a different access interface to commonly-usable files from said first file server program, including access means for accessing files managed by said second information processing device, wherein

said access means includes directory synchronizing means for detecting information on the structure of at least a part of the directory structure of files managed by said second server information processing device to create a copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device in accordance with the detected information, the directory structure being formatted so as to be managed by said first file server program, and add the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device into the directory structure of files managed by said first file server program, and also performing the detection of the information periodically to update the copy of the directory structure of the files managed by said second server information processing device every time the detection of the information is performed.

45. A server information processing device which has a first file server program enabling common use of files and is connected through a network to a second server information processing device with a second file server program having a different an access interface to commonly-usable files from said first file server program and at least client information processing device having a client program for accessing the commonly-usable files through said first file server program, including access means for accessing files managed by said second server information processing device, wherein said access means includes hook means for hooking an access to a file managed by said second server information processing device which is transmitted from each client program, file copy means for copying the data of the file concerned into the directory structure managed by said first file server program if the access is an open demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device, copy back means for copying back the file copied by said file copy means to the origin for the copy, and copy back start means for starting said copy back means as another process if the access is a close demand to the file managed by said second server information processing device.