Virtual file servers with storage device

• US 7,673,012 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Takashi, Nakano, Takahiro, Hara, Junichi, Matsunami, Naoto, Miyata, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/375,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,559 Days
• Field of Search: 703/27, 709/201, 709/217, 709219-220, 710/36
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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 system renting out file servers to many companies in a data center has a security problem so that the user cannot perform operation needing manager authorization in the file servers. An OS provides execution administrative area information of an application program designated by process information which can specify the range of an accessible device to operate the server system of the customer in the administrative area information.

Claims

1. A real file server functioning as a plurality of virtual file servers coupled to a plurality of client computers, comprising:

a processor configuring a first virtual file server configured by a processor on which one operating system executes file system processes for the first virtual file server, the first virtual file server being configured to receive a file access request from a first one of the client computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to the first virtual file server and respond to the file access request;

a first mount table for the first virtual file server;

a second virtual file server configured by the processor, said processor further executing file system processes for the second virtual file server, the second virtual file server being configured to receive a file access request from a second one of the client computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to the second virtual file server;

a second mount table for the second virtual file server; and

an apparatus manager for managing said virtual file servers that generates and deletes said virtual file servers and controls to allocate said at least one storage device, wherein

said processor controls sending data to each of said plurality of client computers based on a routing table indicating destination information and routing information, the routing table being set with respect to each virtual file server,

the apparatus manager is configured to create the first mount table and the second mount table, the first virtual file server is configured to update the first mount table, and the second virtual file server is configured to update the second mount table,

a storage device that includes a file system mounted on a root directory of the corresponding virtual file server, and

the apparatus manager returning an error when creating the respective mount tables if an access right of the storage device that includes a file system mounted on a root directory of the corresponding virtual file server is not permitted.

2. The real file server according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus manager is configured to receive a command for setting the respective first and second mount tables for a corresponding one of the first or second virtual file servers, and wherein a directory specified in the received command is mounted on a root directory of the corresponding virtual file server.

3. The real file server according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus manager is configured to receive a command for setting the respective first and second mount tables for a corresponding one of the first or second virtual file servers.