Method and system for seamless access to a remote storage server utilizing multiple access interfaces executing on the remote server

• US 6,714,968 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wam!Net, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.), Mitch Prust
• Original Assignee: Mitch Prust
• Inventors: Prust, Mitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/501,041
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217-219, 709/328, 709/214, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A data storage system is described that provides seamless access to remote data storage areas via a global computer network. The data storage system includes one or more storage servers coupled to one or more storage devices. The storage devices provide a plurality of virtual storage areas, where each virtual storage area is assigned to a user. Access to the virtual storage areas is fully integrated with an operating system executing on a client computer such that the user, or software applications executing on the client computer, can seamlessly access the corresponding virtual storage area using standard file management routines provided by the operating system. In addition, the invention provides a wide range of other remote access methods to the virtual data storage areas.

Claims

1. A data storage system comprising:

a client computer;

a storage server communicatively coupled to the client computer via a global computer network, wherein the storage server allocates a user-assignable remote storage area in response to a request received from the client computer over the global computer network;

a plurality of software applications executing on the storage server to provide a plurality of different access interfaces for accessing the remote storage area;

an operating system executing on the client computer and including application programming interface (API) routines that communicate with a first one of the access interfaces of the storage server to manage data files within the remote storage area as if the data files were local on the client computer; and

a communication software application executing on the client computer to directly communicate with a second one of the access interfaces of the storage server to manage the data files within the remote storage area without invoking the API routines of the operating system executing on the client computer.

2. The data storage system of claim 1, and wherein the operating system encrypts one or more data files and communicates the data files to the storage server for storage within the storage area.

3. The data storage system of claim 1, and wherein the operating system issues requests to the storage server to retrieve one or more data files from the storage area.

4. The data storage system of claim 1, and wherein the API routines include at least a file management routine to facilitate copying, deleting, moving and renaming data files.

5. The data storage system of claim 1, and wherein the API routines include a routine to facilitate creating, deleting and renaming data file directories.

6. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage server and the computer communicate via the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

7. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the API includes Apple File Services and the first one of the access interfaces of the storage server supports Apple Filing Protocol for accessing the data files within the remote storage area.

8. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the communication software application comprises one of a web browser, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) utility, a data storage backup utility, and an electronic mail software application.

9. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the API supports Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) and the first one of the access interfaces presented by the software applications executing on storage server supports WebDAV for accessing the data files within the remote storage area as if the data files were local.

10. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the API supports Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and the first one of the access interfaces presented by the software applications executing on the storage server supports SMB for accessing the remote storage area.

11. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the software applications executing on the storage server include an electronic mail application to receive an electronic mail message from the client computer that contains at least one attached data file, wherein the electronic mail application analyzes the electronic mail message to identify a target one of the remote storage areas, and store the attached data file within the identified target remote storage area.

12. The data storage system of claim 11, wherein the electronic mail message flu includes text and the electronic mail application parses the text to determine the target remote storage area.

13. The data storage system of claim 11, wherein the electronic mail application analyzes content of a subject field associated with the electronic mail message to determine the target remote storage area.

14. The data storage system of claim 11, wherein the electronic mail application both content of a subject field associated the electronic mail message and content of a destination address associated with the electronic mail message to determine the target remote storage area.

15. A method for accessing data files from a computer having an operating system executing thereon, the method comprising:

allocating one of a set of remote storage areas provided by a storage server to a user in response to a request received via a global computer network, wherein the storage server provides an operating environment for a plurality of software applications to present a plurality of different access interfaces for accessing the set of remote storage areas;

receiving a file access request via one of;

(1) an application programming interface (API) routine provided by an operating system of a client computer that communicates with a first one of the access interfaces presented by the software applications of the storage server to manage remote data files within the remote storage areas as if the data files were local on the client computer, and (2) a communication software application executing on the client computer that communicates with a second one of the access interfaces of the storage server to manage the data files within the remote storage area;

communicating the access request to the storage server via the global computer network and the respective one of the different access interfaces presented by the software applications of the storage server; and

accessing the data files with the remote storage server according to the request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the access request to the storage server includes encrypting one or more data files and sending the data files to the storage server for storage within the storage area.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the access request to the storage server includes issuing requests to the storage server to retrieve the remote data file from the storage area.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the access request to the storage server includes communicating user information to the remote storage server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein accessing the remote data file includes authenticating the user information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein authenticating the user information includes comparing the user information to a username and password, stored on the remote storage server.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the access request includes communicating via Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol(TCP/IP).

22. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a file request via the API routine includes receiving a file request via Apple File Services.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein accessing the remote data file includes executing a software application to invoke the API as if the remote data file where local.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein executing the software application includes executing the software application to browse for a data file.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication software application comprises one of a web browser, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) utility, a data storage backup utility, and an electronic mail software application.