Cross-forest sharing
First Claim
1. A method for sharing a user'"'"'s personal information management (PIM) data with another user across a forest boundary, the method comprising:
- automatically synchronizing user account information between a first directory server that is associated with a first forest and a second directory server that is associated with a second forest;
wherein the synchronization includes synchronizing mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for each mailbox between the first directory server and the second directory server;
wherein the first directory server identifies user accounts from the second directory server as contacts instead of users of the first directory server and wherein the second directory server identifies user accounts from the first directory server as contacts instead of users of the second directory server;
obtaining mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for a first user, the first user being part of the first forest;
setting a permission for the first user in the first forest to access PIM data of a second user, the second user being part of a second forest;
wherein the PIM data comprises calendar data and contact data;
receiving a request at a first mailbox server in the first forest to access PIM data for the second user in the second forest;
in response to the first mailbox server not locating the PIM data for the second user, providing from the second directory server in the second forest identification information for a mailbox of the second user to a PIM application residing in the first forest in response to a request received from the PIM application in the first forest; and
providing PIM data obtained from a second mailbox server in the second forest to the PIM application in the first forest in response to a request for PIM data from the PIM application, wherein the request is formed using the provided identification information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Users from one forest can share PIM data with users from another forest by replicating user account information from one forest into the other forest, including SIDs for each user account (referred to herein as a synchronization process). Using this replicated information, the sharing user wishing to share PIM data across a forest boundary can set a permission to allow the cross-forest user to access the PIM data. The sharing user adds the SID of the cross-forest user to the ACL of the sharing user'"'"'s mailbox. When the cross-forest user wishes to access the PIM data from the sharing user, the cross-forest user'"'"'s PIM application obtains the mailbox identifier information of the sharing user from the user'"'"'s forest. With this mailbox information, the cross-forest user'"'"'s PIM application can then send a request to the sharing user'"'"'s mailbox server to access the PIM data.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for sharing a user'"'"'s personal information management (PIM) data with another user across a forest boundary, the method comprising:
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automatically synchronizing user account information between a first directory server that is associated with a first forest and a second directory server that is associated with a second forest;
wherein the synchronization includes synchronizing mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for each mailbox between the first directory server and the second directory server;
wherein the first directory server identifies user accounts from the second directory server as contacts instead of users of the first directory server and wherein the second directory server identifies user accounts from the first directory server as contacts instead of users of the second directory server;obtaining mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for a first user, the first user being part of the first forest; setting a permission for the first user in the first forest to access PIM data of a second user, the second user being part of a second forest;
wherein the PIM data comprises calendar data and contact data;receiving a request at a first mailbox server in the first forest to access PIM data for the second user in the second forest; in response to the first mailbox server not locating the PIM data for the second user, providing from the second directory server in the second forest identification information for a mailbox of the second user to a PIM application residing in the first forest in response to a request received from the PIM application in the first forest; and providing PIM data obtained from a second mailbox server in the second forest to the PIM application in the first forest in response to a request for PIM data from the PIM application, wherein the request is formed using the provided identification information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for sharing a user'"'"'s personal information management (PIM) data with another user across a forest boundary, the system comprising:
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a processor and a computer-readable storage medium; means for utilizing the processor and automatically synchronizing user account information between a first directory server that is associated with a first forest and a second directory server that is associated with a second forest;
wherein the synchronization includes synchronizing mailbox and security identifier (SID) information between the first directory server and the second directory server;
means for obtaining mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for a first user, the first user being part of the first forest;means for setting a permission for the first user to access PIM data of a second user, the second user being part of a second forest;
wherein the PIM data comprises calendar data and contact data;means for receiving a request at a first mailbox server in the first forest to access PIM data for the second user in the second forest; in response to the first mailbox server not locating the PIM data for the second user, means for providing from the second directory server in the second forest identification information for a mailbox of the second user to a PIM application residing in the first forest in response to a request received from the PIM application on the first server located in the first forest; and means for providing PIM data to the PIM application in response to a request for PIM data from the PIM application, wherein the request is formed using the provided identification information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for sharing a user'"'"'s personal information management data with another user across a forest boundary, the system comprising:
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a directory server comprising a processing unit, a computer-readable storage medium, and a synchronization module operating using the processing unit to automatically obtain mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for a first user, the first user being part of a first forest and the directory server residing in a second forest;
wherein the synchronization module is configured to synchronize user account information between the directory server that is associated with a first forest and a second directory server that is associated with a second forest;
wherein the synchronization includes synchronizing mailbox and security identifier (SID) information for each mailbox between the first directory server and the second directory server;a mailbox server coupled to the directory server to maintain a mailbox for a second user, wherein a second user can set a permission for the first user to access PIM data associated with the second user'"'"'s mailbox, the second user being part of a second forest;
wherein the PIM data comprises calendar data and contact data; andan autodiscovery module coupled to the directory server to selectively provide identification information for the second user'"'"'s mailbox to a PIM application residing in the first forest in response to a request received from the PIM application;
wherein the identification information for the second user'"'"'s mailbox is provided after an attempt to locate the second user'"'"'s mailbox in the first forest. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification