Systems and methods for folder redirection

• US 9,798,730 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Khalid, A T M Shafiqul, Sirjani, Abolfazl
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuddus, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/298,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20140289291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 707636, 707694, 707999001, 707782
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

A method for redirecting, to a second machine, without user intervention, a request for access to a folder on a first machine, the request made by a resource executing within a remote access session on the first machine, includes receiving, by a component on a first machine, folder mapping information associated with a folder provided by a shell namespace on a second machine. The component intercepts a request by a resource executing on the first machine for access to file system data on the first machine. The component redirects the request to the second machine responsive to the received folder mapping information.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting, to a second machine, without user intervention, a request for access to a folder on a first machine, the request made by a resource executing within a remote access session on the first machine, the method comprising:

receiving, by a component executing on the first machine and from the second machine within the remote access session, folder mapping information associated with a virtual folder provided by a third-party shell namespace on the second machine, the provided virtual folder corresponding to a user of the second machine, the third-party shell namespace comprising objects identified by a unique pathname;

intercepting, by the component executing on the first machine, the request by the resource executing on behalf of the user of the second machine within the remote access session on the first machine, for access to the folder in the file system of the first machine;

determining, by the component executing on the first machine, that redirection is configured for the remote access session; and

redirecting, by the component executing on the first machine, the request for access to the folder in the file system of the first machine from the first machine to the second machine within the remote access session and responsive to the received folder mapping information corresponding to the user of the second machine;

wherein the virtual folder is not part of a file system data associated with the second machine, and organizes files independent of a physical location corresponding to the virtual folder, and comprises links to files in any location on a plurality of networked machines.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, to the resource, access to at least one of:

the file system data associated with the second machine, a special folder located on the second machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in the intercepted request, an address associated with a folder located on the first machine;

remapping the identified address to an address of the virtual folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine; and

transmitting, to the second machine, the intercepted request and the remapped address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving, by the component on the first machine, an address of the virtual folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving, by the component on the first machine, an instruction to redirect, to the second machine, a request for access to file system data on the first machine, responsive to the received folder mapping information associated with the virtual folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein intercepting further comprises intercepting, by the component, a request by the resource executing on the first machine to modify file system information associated with the first machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein intercepting further comprises intercepting, by the component, a request by a resource executing on the first machine to open a file in a folder provided by a shell namespace on the first machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein intercepting further comprises intercepting, by the component, a request by a resource executing on the first machine to modify a file in a folder provided by a shell namespace on the first machine.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the component, redirection is configured for a first part of the remote access session.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the component, redirection is disabled for a second part of the remote access session.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein redirecting further comprises transmitting, by the component, to a file system redirector, the intercepted request.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, by the file system redirector, the intercepted request to the second machine.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the component, that the request by the resource executing on the first machine is a request for access to a folder provided by a shell namespace on the first machine.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping, to the first machine, a folder on the second machine for access by a resource executing on the second machine.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by an agent on the second machine, folder mapping information associated with the virtual folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine; and

transmitting, by the agent, the identified folder mapping information to the first machine.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the agent, from the first machine, a request for modification of the folder associated with the folder mapping information.

17. A system for redirecting, to a second machine, without user intervention, a request for access to a folder on a first machine, the request made by a resource executing within a remote access session on the first machine, the system comprising:

a first machine;

a second machine;

a resource executing on behalf of the second machine within a remote access session on the first machine;

a first component executing on the first machine, the first component configured to;

receive, from the second machine within the remote access session, folder mapping information associated with a virtual folder provided by a third-party shell namespace on the second machine, the folder mapping information identifying the folder as residing in a file system of the second machine, the provided folder corresponding to a user of the second machine, the third-party shell namespace comprises objects identified by a unique pathname;

intercept the request by the resource executing on behalf of the user of the second machine within the remote access session on the first machine to access the folder in the file system of the first machine; and

redirect the request for access to the folder in the file system of the first machine from the first machine to the second machine within the remote access session, responsive to the received folder mapping information corresponding to the user of the second machine wherein the virtual folder not part of a file system data associated with the second machine, organizes files independent of a physical location corresponding to the virtual folder, and comprises links to files in any location on a plurality of networked machines; and

a second component executing on the second machine, the second component configured to;

receive the redirected request; and

modify file system information on the second machine responsive to the received request.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first component further comprises a file system redirector receiving the intercepted request and transmitting the intercepted request to the second component.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first component further comprises a receiver receiving folder mapping information associated with a special folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first component further comprises a receiver receiving folder mapping information associated with the virtual folder provided by the third-party shell namespace on the second machine.