Maintaining commonly named client-specific file content in hard disk drive emulation
First Claim
1. A method for operating a data processing system, comprising:
- maintaining a data store accessible to a plurality of operational entities capable of processing contents of the data store;
denoting at least one part of the data store as a shareable part;
supporting read operations from the data store to the operational entities and supporting write operations attempted from the operational entities to the data store, wherein the operational entities use a predetermined method for selection of portions to be read and written from/to the data store, including said shareable part of the data store, said predetermined method including specifying an identification comprising at least one of a name and address for identifying the portions selected;
wherein a plurality of said operational entities use the same said identification according to the predetermined method to identify at least one selected part of the data store to be read and written;
generating a copy of said selected part of the data store only upon receiving a write operation request from a given operational entity, said copy being identifiable by a unique identification associated with said given operational entity; and
,establishing a version of said selected part of the data store for said copy, said version being specific to the given operational entity and subject to customization independently and exclusively of other versions that are established for and served to one or more other said operational entities that likewise use the same said identification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data processing network has a virtual hard drive emulator and client terminals that share a virtual disk image. Client-specific read-write versions of selected files or directories are supported. All clients access the client-specific versions using the same name and address identifiers (for example, the same file name for a given configuration file), but each client has an exclusive version. A file ID distinguishes respective clients. These files are maintained alongside other files of other types and attributes. The selection of files to be client-specific can be predetermined, or a client-specific version of a file can be generated if the client executes a write operation to a client-specific file or area, the written data containing data read by the client in any of memory area available to the clients (RAM, Virtual Disk Drive, Hard Disk drive etc.). The technique supports customization while maximizing administrative control of operating system versions and minimizing redundant storage. File access for client terminals can be made close to systems having local hard drives.
62 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for operating a data processing system, comprising:
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maintaining a data store accessible to a plurality of operational entities capable of processing contents of the data store; denoting at least one part of the data store as a shareable part; supporting read operations from the data store to the operational entities and supporting write operations attempted from the operational entities to the data store, wherein the operational entities use a predetermined method for selection of portions to be read and written from/to the data store, including said shareable part of the data store, said predetermined method including specifying an identification comprising at least one of a name and address for identifying the portions selected;
wherein a plurality of said operational entities use the same said identification according to the predetermined method to identify at least one selected part of the data store to be read and written;generating a copy of said selected part of the data store only upon receiving a write operation request from a given operational entity, said copy being identifiable by a unique identification associated with said given operational entity; and
,establishing a version of said selected part of the data store for said copy, said version being specific to the given operational entity and subject to customization independently and exclusively of other versions that are established for and served to one or more other said operational entities that likewise use the same said identification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification