Systems and methods for software and file access via a domain name

• US 8,589,474 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert, Adelman, Warren, Chadwick, Michael, Wagner, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US12/140,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention allow for a thin client which may be provided with a domain name in a partnership between a hosting provider, an ISP and/or a thin client retailer. The client may be used to access a remote computer or server in the hosting provider'"'"'s data center.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a server computer communicatively coupled to a network and configured to:

A) register a domain name to a registrant;

B) host a portal website resolving from said domain name and comprising;

i) a landing page providing access to a plurality of files from a plurality of diverse sources on said network, said plurality of files comprising a plurality of web pages, electronic documents, software, utilities or backup files;

ii) a control panel configured to receive from said registrant;

a) a selection of a theme configured to display said plurality of files in a unified way on said portal website;

b) a key word or phrase topically relevant to one of said plurality of files; and

c) a network path for accessing and rendering said one of said plurality of files;

iii) a software-based virtual desktop environment running on a partition of said server computer;

a) comprising;

1) at least one common kernel, system library, configuration and program file shared with an operating system installed on said server computer; and

2) a desktop work environment for a graphical windows workstation comprising one or more office and internet software tools; and

b) configured to operate and reboot independent of at least one additional virtual environment;

C) generate a uniform resource locator comprising said key word or phrase concatenated, as a sub domain, to said domain name;

D) map said uniform resource locator to said one of said plurality of files via said network path;

E) receive a hypertext transfer protocol request comprising said uniform resource locator; and

F) responsive to receiving said hypertext transfer protocol request;

a) render, within said portal website, said one of said plurality of files; and

b) transmit a rendering of said one of said plurality of files to a client computer communicatively coupled to said network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said domain name is mapped to said virtual desktop environment and said uniform resource locator is mapped to said file:

i) using one or more methods and technologies for mapping said domain name, said sub domain, said uniform resource locator or an internet protocol address to said virtual desktop environment, or to said file, said one or more methods or technologies comprising any combination of;

a) uniform resource locator forwarding;

b) redirecting;

c) masking; and

d) implementing one or more aliases to map said server computer to one or more domain names; and

ii) via a client-based software tool or a server-based software tool configured to automatically map said domain name, said sub domain, said uniform resource locator or said internet protocol address to said virtual desktop environment, or to said file.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said control panel is configured to:

i) authenticate said registrar to said server computer or said operating system;

ii) install or remove on said server computer or said operating system;

a) one or more software applications;

b) one or more operating system or software patches;

c) one or more operating system or software updates; and

d) one or more operating system or software backups;

iii) change one or more passwords for authentication to said operating system or said server computer;

iv) set one or more configuration settings for said operating system or said server computer;

v) migrate said one or more software applications between one or more hosting accounts or one or more domains;

vi) restart said server computer or said operating system;

vii) independently reboot each of one or more operating systems comprising said operating system, or each of one or more virtual desktop environments comprising said virtual desktop environment;

viii) remotely install said one or more software applications; and

ix) remotely reboot said one or more server computers or said one or more virtual desktop environments.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said control panel is configured to:

i) authenticate said registrant to said virtual environment;

ii) install or remove in said virtual environment;

a) one or more software applications;

b) one or more software patches;

c) one or more software updates;

d) one or more software backups;

iii) change one or more passwords for authentication to said virtual environment;

iv) set one or more configuration settings for said virtual environment;

v) restart said virtual environment;

vi) remotely install said one or more software applications;

vii) remotely restart said virtual desktop environment;

viii) establish a remote access gateway to said client computer via a remote desktop program;

ix) receive, via data entry fields on said client computer, said sub domain to be concatenated to said domain name; and

x) receive, via said data entry fields on said client computer, said network path required to access said file, said file comprising a software application or a document on said server.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote desktop software application configured to:

i) run a configuration interface on said server computer while rendering a user interface remotely on said client computer, said configuration interface comprising a remote desktop protocol gateway configured to establish a remote access gateway to remotely control said server computer over said network;

ii) remotely access a file system, one or more software applications and one or more utilities within said operating system; and

iii) upload and download files between said server computers and said client computer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an online storage comprising:

i) a server architecture communicatively coupling said server computer, via said network, to a server cluster, a storage virtualization or a cloud storage comprising one or more remote storage devices comprising one or more additional computers, servers or disk arrays;

ii) any combination of a storage area network, a network attached storage or a direct attached storage;

iii) one or more files comprising said file; and

iv) said file being granted access to all of said one or more remote storage devices.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an online community comprising:

i) one or more software vendors providing software to said online community via cloud computing;

ii) said one or more software vendors, a hosting provider and a plurality of one or more additional partners or vendors;

iii) additional software or utilities installed onto said one or more server computers from said one or more software vendors;

iv) access to said one or more software or utilities.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said portal website further comprises any combination of:

i) access, via said one or more links, to an online community comprising one or more software vendors providing software to the online community via cloud computing;

ii) a file storage management webpage configured to display, access, organize and download one or more files; and

iii) one or more data fields configured to receive said sub domain and said network path.

9. A method, comprising:

A) registering, by a server computer communicatively coupled to a network, a domain name to a registrant;

B) hosting, by said server computer, a portal website resolving from said domain name and comprising;

i) a landing page providing access to a plurality of files from a plurality of diverse sources on said network, said plurality of files comprising a plurality of web pages, electronic documents, software, utilities or backup files;

ii) a control panel configured to receive from said registrant;

a) a selection of a theme configured to display said plurality of files in a unified way on said portal website;

b) a key word or phrase topically relevant to one of said plurality of files; and

c) a network path for accessing and rendering said one of said plurality of files;

iii) a software-based virtual desktop environment running on a partition of said server computer;

a) comprising;

1) at least one common kernel, system library, configuration and program file shared with an operating system installed on said server computer; and

2) a desktop work environment for a graphical windows workstation comprising one or more office and internet software tools; and

b) configured to operate and reboot independent of at least one additional virtual environment;

C) generating, by said server computer, a uniform resource locator comprising said key word or phrase concatenated, as a sub domain, to said domain name;

D) mapping, by said server computer, said uniform resource locator to said one of said plurality of files via said network path;

E) receiving, by said server computer, a hypertext transfer protocol request comprising said uniform resource locator; and

F) responsive to receiving said hypertext transfer protocol request;

i) rendering, by said server computer, within said portal website, said one of said plurality of files; and

ii) transmitting, by said server computer, a rendering of said one of said plurality of files to a client computer communicatively coupled to said network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said domain name is mapped to said virtual desktop environment and said uniform resource locator is mapped to said file:

i) using one or more methods and technologies for mapping said domain name, said sub domain, said uniform resource locator or an internet protocol address to said virtual desktop environment, or to said file, said one or more methods or technologies comprising any combination of;

a) uniform resource locator forwarding;

b) redirecting;

c) masking; and

d) implementing one or more aliases to map said server computer to one or more domain names; and

ii) via a client-based software tool or a server-based software tool configured to automatically map said domain name, said sub domain, said uniform resource locator or said internet protocol address to said virtual desktop environment, or to said file.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

i) authenticating, by said server computer, a registrar of said domain name to said server computer or said operating system;

ii) installing or removing, by said server computer, on said server computer or said operating system;

a) one or more software applications;

b) one or more operating system or software patches;

c) one or more operating system or software updates; and

d) one or more operating system or software backups;

iii) changing, by said server computer, one or more passwords for authentication to said operating system or said server computer;

iv) setting, by said server computer, one or more configuration settings for said operating system or said server computer;

v) migrating, by said server computer, said one or more software applications between one or more hosting accounts or one or more domains;

vi) restarting, by said server computer, said server computer or said operating system;

vii) independently rebooting, by said server computer, each of one or more operating systems comprising said operating system, or each of one or more virtual desktop environments comprising said virtual desktop environment;

viii) remotely installing, by said server computer, said one or more software applications; and

ix) remotely rebooting, by said server computer, said one or more server computers or said one or more virtual desktop environments.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

i) authenticating, by said server computer, said registrant to said virtual environment;

ii) installing or removing, by said server computer, in said virtual environment;

a) one or more software applications;

b) one or more software patches;

c) one or more software updates;

or

d) one or more software backups;

iii) changing, by said server computer, one or more passwords for authentication to said virtual environment;

iv) setting, by said server computer, one or more configuration settings for said virtual environment;

v) restarting, by said server computer, said virtual environment;

vi) remotely installing, by said server computer, said one or more software applications;

vii) remotely restarting, by said server computer, said virtual desktop environment;

viii) establishing, by said server computer, a remote access gateway to said client computer via a remote desktop program;

ix) receiving, by said server computer, via data entry fields on said client computer, said sub domain to be concatenated to said domain name; and

x) receiving, by said server computer, via said data entry fields on said client computer, said network path required to access said file, said file comprising a software application or a document on said server.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising a remote desktop software application configured to:

i) run a configuration interface on said server computer while rendering a user interface remotely on said client computer, said configuration interface comprising a remote desktop protocol gateway configured to establish a remote access gateway to remotely control said server computer over said network;

ii) remotely access a file system, one or more software applications and one or more utilities within said operating system; and

iii) upload and download files between said server computers and said client computer.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising an online storage comprising:

i) a server architecture communicatively coupling said server computer, via said network, to a server cluster, a storage virtualization or a cloud storage comprising one or more remote storage devices comprising one or more additional computers, servers or disk arrays;

ii) any combination of a storage area network, a network attached storage or a direct attached storage;

iii) one or more files comprising said file; and

iv) said file being granted access to all of said one or more remote storage devices.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising an online community comprising:

i) one or more software vendors providing software to said online community via cloud computing;

ii) said one or more software vendors, a hosting provider and a plurality of one or more additional partners or vendors;

iii) install, by cloud computing additional software or utilities onto said one or more server computers from one or more software vendors; and

iv) access one or more software or utilities.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said portal website further comprises any combination of:

i) access, via said one or more links, to an online community comprising one or more software vendors providing software to the online community via cloud computing;

ii) a file storage management webpage configured to display, access, organize and download one or more files comprising said file; and

iii) one or more data fields configured to receive said sub domain and said network path.