Accessing network resources using network resource replicator and captured login script for use when the computer is disconnected from the network
First Claim
1. A computer for connection to a computer network of servers configured to provide access to network resources, the computer comprising:
- means for storing local replicas of selected ones of the network resources;
a software program stored on the storing means and executed by the computer, the software program generating requests to access the network resources, including the local replicas; and
a replication and synchronization engine (RSE), coupled to the storing means, for receiving the requests from the software program to access the selected network resources and for operating selectively to provide access to the selected network resources in a first mode when the computer is connected to the network and in a second mode when the computer is not connected to the network, the RSE maintaining coherency of the network resources by synchronizing contents of the local replicas with contents of the selected network resources using a multi-stage synchronization technique, the multi-stage synchronization technique invoked during the first mode of operation to effect synchronization, when the computer is connected to the network after being disconnected from the network, by comparing current state characteristics of the local replicas and the selected network resources rather than comparing their entire contents;
wherein said computer is configured both to capture a login script when the computer is connected to the network in the first mode and to cause the captured login script to appear as a typical login script when the computer is disconnected from the network in the second mode of operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Replication and Synchronization Engine (RSE) provides a user of a mobile computer with a consistent namespace of resources available to a network despite the connection status of the computer. The specifications (names) of the resources as viewed by the user when the computer is connected to the network are identical to the names as viewed by the user when the computer is disconnected from the network. RSE provides such a consistent namespace by maintaining complete, local replicas of a user-selected subset of these resources at the mobile computer, along with local "name-only" representations of the remaining resources. The resources maintained by RSE may include any network resource, such as a server, volume, directory, file, printer queue and other object, that the mobile computer can access.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer for connection to a computer network of servers configured to provide access to network resources, the computer comprising:
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means for storing local replicas of selected ones of the network resources; a software program stored on the storing means and executed by the computer, the software program generating requests to access the network resources, including the local replicas; and a replication and synchronization engine (RSE), coupled to the storing means, for receiving the requests from the software program to access the selected network resources and for operating selectively to provide access to the selected network resources in a first mode when the computer is connected to the network and in a second mode when the computer is not connected to the network, the RSE maintaining coherency of the network resources by synchronizing contents of the local replicas with contents of the selected network resources using a multi-stage synchronization technique, the multi-stage synchronization technique invoked during the first mode of operation to effect synchronization, when the computer is connected to the network after being disconnected from the network, by comparing current state characteristics of the local replicas and the selected network resources rather than comparing their entire contents; wherein said computer is configured both to capture a login script when the computer is connected to the network in the first mode and to cause the captured login script to appear as a typical login script when the computer is disconnected from the network in the second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for connecting a computer to a computer network of servers configured to provide access to network resources, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing local replicas of selected ones of the network resources in a replication database; generating requests to access the network resources, including the local replicas; receiving the requests at a replication and synchronization engine to access the selected network resources and to provide access to the selected network resources in a first mode when the computer is connected to the network and in a second mode when the computer is not connected to the network; synchronizing contents of the local replicas with contents of the selected network resources using a multi-stage synchronization technique that compares current state characteristics of the local replicas and the selected network resources to maintain coherency of the network resources; capturing a login script when the computer is connected to the network in the first mode; and causing the captured login script to appear as a typical login script when the computer is disconnected from the network in the second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification