Account creation method and apparatus

• US 7,577,742 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Adaptec Incorporated (Steel Partners Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Prohofsky, Thomas Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US10/777,354
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/226, 709/225, 709/229, 709/220, 726/4, 726/17, 726/21, 726 27- 30
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for account creation without administrator interaction on a computer network is provided. Specifically, a continuously operating program on a file server creates accounts without the intervention of a system administrator. The continuously operating program on the file server monitors connection points on the file server for requests to create an account. Upon receiving a request from a client computer to create an account, the continuously operating program on the file server processes the request by authenticating a requestor on the client computer and an account identifier transmitted by the requester. After resolving the account identifier, the continuously operating program creates the account in a directory structure and configures software settings for accessing the account. Subsequently, the program notifies the requestor of the newly created account.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initializing a program on a file server through administrator action to activate the program, the program being configured to create an account without further administrator action;

requesting the account from a requester on a client, the requester being activated through administrator action and configured to bypass communication to an administrator; and

processing a request for the account wherein the program is configured to process the request and bypass an intervening administrator action;

wherein processing the request further includes,

checking for mode enablement to determine if the requester has permission to request the account, and

checking for an account limitation to determine if a maximum number of accounts created has been reached.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein initializing the program includes activating the program, the program being capable of operating continuously.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein requesting the account includes transmitting an account identifier to the program.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein processing the request includes executing operations when the program receives an account identifier.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein processing the request further includes resolving the account identifier and manipulating security tokens to encrypt the account identifier and an account password.

6. A method of claim 4, wherein processing the request further includes creating a directory and configuring software settings.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein creating a directory includes allocating locations on a directory tree structure.

8. A method for account creation without administrator intervention, comprising:

initializing a program through administrator action to activate the program, the program being configured to monitor a network connection for an account request and configured to create an account without further administrator action;

receiving the account request from a software agent, the software agent being activated through administrator action and configured to bypass communication to an administrator, and authenticating an account identifier for a new account; and

processing the account request by creating a location in a structure managed by an operating system for maintaining accounts, wherein the program is configured to process the request and bypass an intervening administrator action;

wherein processing the account request further includes,

checking for mode enablement to determine if a requestor of the account has permission to request the account, and

checking for an account limitation to determine if a maximum number of accounts created has been reached.

9. A system for creating an account without an administrator action, comprising:

a requestor operating on a client, the client being coupled to a connector, the requestor being activated through administrator action and configured to bypass communication to an administrator, wherein the requester is configured to request the account;

a network attached storage (NAS) device coupled to the connector, the NAS device being configured to store the account; and

a program capable of continuous operation on a file server, the program being activated through administrator action, the file server being coupled to the connector, wherein the program is configured to monitor a connection point for a request to create the account and subsequently creating the account without further administrator action;

wherein creating the account further includes,

checking for mode enablement to determine if the requestor has permission to request the account, and

checking for an account limitation to determine if a maximum number of accounts created has been reached.

10. A system for creating an account without an administrator action of claim 9, further comprising a database for authenticating an account identifier.

11. A system for creating an account without an administrator action of claim 10, wherein the program is coupled to the database.

12. A system for creating an account without an administrator action of claim 10, further comprising a directory in a directory tree structure.

13. A system for creating an account without an administrator action of claim 12, wherein the program initiates at least one process to create the directory.

14. A network, comprising:

a first computer coupled to a network connector, the first computer being configured to request the creation of an account through a requestor activated through administrator action and configured to bypass communication to an administrator;

a second computer coupled to the network connector;

a network attached storage (NAS) device coupled to the network connector, the NAS device being configured to store the account; and

a program residing in the second computer, the program being activated through administrator action, wherein the program processes a request to create an account and creates the account without further administrator action, wherein creating the account further includes,

checking for mode enablement to determine if a requestor in the first computer has permission to request the account, and

checking for an account limitation to determine if a maximum number of accounts created has been reached.

15. A network of claim 14, further comprising a database coupled to the network connector, the database capable of providing data to authenticate an account identifier.

16. A network of claim 14, wherein the network connector is capable of facilitating file sharing.

17. A network of claim 14, further comprising a directory in a directory structure.

18. A network of claim 17, wherein the directory structure is a tree structure.