Virtual media from a directory service
First Claim
1. A method for selectively providing data between networked devices, comprising the acts of:
- storing at least location references for virtual media resources, a plurality of authorized users, and access rights to the virtual media resources for each of the plurality of authorized users in a remote directory server, wherein the virtual media resources include a media image that simulates an actual removable computer disk and instructions disposed thereon, wherein the act of storing comprises the act of forming a hierarchical structure of the access rights for the plurality of authorized users, wherein the act of forming the hierarchical structure comprises the act of creating an organizational tree comprising at least one relationship branch having a plurality of nodes at a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, wherein each node represents at least one of the virtual media resources;
receiving an access request for a desired resource of the virtual media resources at the remote directory server via a network; and
responding to the access request based on the access rights of the authorized users by the remote directory server via the network.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Virtual media images of actual physical media resources, such as O/S boot files and software installation disks, are provided in a remote directory structure. The remote directory structure stores the virtual media images along with access rights of multiple authorized users, such that control is provided over the retrieval of the virtual media images and use of data/programs within the images. The virtual media images may be stored in blocks, or multiple sub-blocks/children, corresponding the actual media resources. Moreover, the remote directory server may simply store virtual media pointers, or location identifiers, which point to another storage location (i.e., a remote computer) having the actual data content of the virtual media image. Accordingly, the directory server processes a user request for a desired portion of the virtual media images by evaluating whether the user is one of the plurality of authorized users and whether the access rights of the user encompass the desired portion. If the user is authenticated and the desired portion is within the user'"'"'s access rights, then the user may obtain the desired portion of the virtual media images.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for selectively providing data between networked devices, comprising the acts of:
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storing at least location references for virtual media resources, a plurality of authorized users, and access rights to the virtual media resources for each of the plurality of authorized users in a remote directory server, wherein the virtual media resources include a media image that simulates an actual removable computer disk and instructions disposed thereon, wherein the act of storing comprises the act of forming a hierarchical structure of the access rights for the plurality of authorized users, wherein the act of forming the hierarchical structure comprises the act of creating an organizational tree comprising at least one relationship branch having a plurality of nodes at a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, wherein each node represents at least one of the virtual media resources; receiving an access request for a desired resource of the virtual media resources at the remote directory server via a network; and responding to the access request based on the access rights of the authorized users by the remote directory server via the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for selectively providing data between networked devices, comprising the acts of:
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forming a hierarchical user access tree comprising at least one relationship branch having a plurality of nodes at a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another; associating at least location references for a plurality of virtual media resources to the plurality of nodes, wherein the virtual media resources include a simulation of an actual content-filled computer disk having instructions; storing access rights of authorized users at each of the plurality of nodes; processing an access request for a desired resource of the plurality of virtual media resources by verifying that a requesting user is one of the plurality of authorized users and verifying that the desired resource is within the access rights of the verified requesting user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a plurality of devices disposed in a network; a database of resources disposed on one of the plurality of devices, wherein the resources comprise at least location references for a plurality of virtual media resources, a plurality of authorized users, and access rights of the authorized users to authorized portions of the plurality of virtual media resources, wherein the virtual media resources include a computer simulation that represents instructional content and behavior of an actual removable computer disk, wherein the database is organized as a hierarchical tree structure comprising at least one relationship branch having a plurality of nodes at a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, wherein each node represents one portion of the plurality of virtual media resources; an access protection module disposed on one of the plurality of devices and configured for restricting access of the plurality of virtual media resources to authorized users having appropriate access rights; and a request processing module disposed on one of the plurality of devices and configured for processing a resource request by a user for a desired portion of the plurality of virtual media resources according to the access protection module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification