Virtual network file server

• US 6,356,863 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daylight Chemical Information Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Metaphorics, LLC
• Inventors: Sayle, Roger Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US09/323,333
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 703/27, 703/24, 703/22, 703/2, 703/26, 707/1, 707/4, 707/10, 707/101, 707/204, 707/104, 709/1, 709/200, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/230, 709/246, 709/300, 709/303, 711/6
• US Class Current: 703/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/192 Implementing virtual folder structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A virtual file server for generating content data in response to computer operating system requests involving a remote file system. According to a preferred embodiment, the virtual file server receives the request, which may be via any of a variety of standard protocols. Content data is generated or retrieved and translated into the format specified by the request. The virtual file content need not be maintained as a stored physical file in the requested format. The requested contents of this virtual file are encoded according to the protocol by which the request was initially received. Once so encoded, the requested content of the virtual file is transmitted in response to the request.

Claims

1. A process for emulating the behavior of a network file system in response to a remote file system request made by a computer operating system in a standard network file system protocol via a digital computer network, the process comprising the steps:

a) receiving said request via said network;

b) decoding said request in a standard network file system protocol;

c) generating content data, other than said file system, in response to said request, said content data comprising a virtual file; and

d) transmitting via said network said virtual file in said standard network file system protocol, as a reply to said computer operating system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), said content data of said virtual file is generated algorithmically.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), said content data of said virtual file is generated by decrypting a stored physical file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), said content data of said virtual file is generated by decompressing a stored physical file.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps b), c) and d), said standard protocol comprises NFS.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps b), c) and d), said standard protocol comprises SMB.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps b), c) and d), said standard protocol comprises CIFS.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps b), c) and d), said standard protocol comprises Appleshare.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein in step a), said request comprises a read-file request;

and

wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file responsive to said read-file request is generated by querying a database system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step c), said database system is a relational database system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein in step c), said database system is an object-oriented database system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein in step a), said request comprises a file-write request;

and

wherein step c) further comprises the step of inserting data into a database system in response to said request.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein in step c), said database system is a relational database system.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein in step c), said database system is an object-oriented database system.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein in step a), said request comprises a read-file request;

and

wherein in step c), the contents of said virtual file generated in response to said request are generated by converting the file format of a stored physical file to a second file format.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are word processing file formats.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are database file formats.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are image or graphics file formats.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are molecular structure file formats.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are bioinformatics sequence file formats.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are bioinformatics database file formats.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein in step c), said file formats are-binary executable file formats.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein in step a), said request comprises a file-write request;

and

wherein step c) further comprises translating said content data of said virtual file into a different format.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first word processing file format to a second word processing file format.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first database file format to a second database file format.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first graphics file format to a second graphics file format.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first molecular structure file format to a second molecular structure file format.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first bioinformatics sequence file format to a second bioinformatics sequence file format.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first bioinformatics database file format to a second bioinformatics database file format.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is translated from a first binary executable file format to a second binary executable file format.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to read the contents of a file.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to write data to a file.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to determine the length of a file.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to determine the attributes of a file.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to change the attributes of a file.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to create a file.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to delete a file.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to rename a file.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to create a directory.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to delete a directory.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to look up a file name in a directory.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a), b) and c), said request is to determine the list of files in a directory.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), the content data of said virtual file is generated in real time by utilizing a plug-in function.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data by reading a stored physical file.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data algorithmically.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data by decrypting a stored physical file.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data by decompressing a stored physical file.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data that is dependent upon the user, machine and operating system making the request.

49. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data by querying a database system.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein in step c), said database system is a relational database system.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein in step c), said database system is an object-oriented database system.

52. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said plug-in function generates said content data by converting the file format of a stored physical file to a second file format.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are word processing file formats.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are database file formats.

55. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are image or graphics file formats.

56. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are molecular structure file formats.

57. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are bioinformatics sequence file formats.

58. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are bioinformatics database file formats.

59. The method of claim 52 wherein said file formats are binary executable file formats.

60. The method of claim 43 wherein in step c), said content data generated by said plug-in function is binary executables translated from some other non-executable representation.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein in step c), said binary executables are dependent upon the architecture and operating system of the machine making the request.

62. The method of claim 1 wherein in step a), said request comprises a file-read request;

and

wherein in step c), said content data of said virtual file comprises binary executables translated from a non-executable representation of data.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein in step c), said binary executables are dependent upon the architecture and operating system of the machine making the request.

64. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), said content data is generated by retrieving data.

65. The method of claim 1 wherein in step c), said content data is generated by modifying data.