Virtual environment manager for network computers

• US 6,757,729 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1996
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mohindra, Ajay, Devarakonda, Murthy, Zukowski, Deborra Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): BULLOCK JR, LEWIS ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US08/722,434
• Time in Patent Office: 2,822 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.02, 395/200.06, 395/200.09, 395/200.2, 395/694, 395/680, 395/682, 395/683, 718/100, 718/104, 719/330, 719/310, 719/315, 709/200-226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for a downloadable just-in-time middleware called VEM that provides access to network services, including system services such as printing and local storage, to applications that run on Network Computers. The VEM configures the default client services and stores information about these services. When an application executing on the Network Computer wishes to use one of the services, it communicates with its local VEM. The VEM returns a handle to the appropriate service to complete the service request.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically providing access to and interaction with a plurality of network system and application services to an application executing on a network client, said network client having an environment management software system, comprising the steps of:

automatically dynamically determining when the application requires access to at least one of a plurality of remote network system and application services;

in response to a determination that the application requires access to at least one of a plurality of remote network system and application services said environment management software system of said network client performing the steps of;

identifying a plurality of different potential service providers for each particular one of the at least one remote network system and application services;

locating at least one potential service provider from said plurality of different potential remote service providers for the at least one remote network service required by the application on demand; and

downloading at least one object comprising executable code into the environment management software system of the network client, the code being capable of local processing, and enabling the application to interact with the at least one remote network service on demand based on the executable code processing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloading comprises the step of contacting an appropriate service provider and downloading a client stubs for the remote network service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the downloading comprises the step of contacting an appropriate service provider and downloading a client handle for the remote network service.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of providing a user of the network client with a visual display of available network services to which access has been previously enabled.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the network client is a Network Computer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network client is a JAVA terminal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the network client is a personal digital assistant.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the network service is a system service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the system service is a printing service.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the system service is persistent storage.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the system service is system monitoring.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the system service is system management.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the environment management software system runs on a virtual machine instantiated on the network client.

14. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of determining when access to the network service is no longer needed;

and, initiating a removal of the object from the memory of the network node.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of registering by remote service providers with a third party directory, a set of services available to network clients, wherein the object obtains access to the service by reference to the directory.

16. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of sharing access to the service by a plurality of application executing on the network node.

17. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of isolating the service needed by an application from other applications by providing access to the service only by way of a unique key known only to the application.