Specialized network fileserver

• US 10,091,203 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Galloway, Curtis C., Wright, John Andrew, Masputra, Adi, Mireku, Kwasi G
• Primary Examiner(s): Shanmugasundaram, Kannan
• Application Number:
  US14/722,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A method and apparatus of a portable storage device that provides a specialized network fileserver is described. In an exemplary method, the portable storage device retrieves a list of applications on the portable storage device, where each of the applications has a private filesystem. For each of the applications, the portable storage device determines if that application will share the corresponding private filesystem and adds that private filesystem to a shared filesystem of the portable storage device is that is shareable. The portable storage device further advertises the shared filesystem to a host that is coupled to the portable storage device.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a host device to access data that is securely managed by a portable storage device, the method comprising, at the portable storage device:

managing a plurality of applications resident on the portable storage device, wherein each application of the plurality of applications is associated with a respective private filesystem that stores data managed by the application that is inaccessible to the other applications of the plurality of applications;

receiving, from the host device, a request to access the respective private filesystem associated with at least one of the plurality of applications;

constructing a shared filesystem within the portable storage device;

for each application of the plurality of applications;

in response to determining, based on a key value associated with the application, that the application is configured to share the respective private filesystem with the host device, wherein the key value is stored in a configuration file associated with the application in conjunction with the application permitting the respective private filesystem to be shared;

updating a configuration of the shared filesystem to include a respective link that enables the host device to access the respective private filesystem; and

advertising the shared filesystem to the host device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shared filesystem appears as a shared volume to the host device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein advertising comprises transmitting an advertisement that includes an identifier of the portable storage device to the host device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a corresponding application resident on the host device has access to files in the shared filesystem.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a private internet protocol (IP) address to an interface, wherein the shared filesystem is bound to the interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the shared filesystem is accessible via the interface with the private IP address.

7. At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by at least one processor included in portable storage device, cause the portable storage device to carry out steps that include:

managing a plurality of applications resident on the portable storage device, wherein each application of the plurality of applications is associated with a respective private filesystem that stores data managed by the application that is inaccessible to the other applications of the plurality of applications;

receiving, from a host device, a request to access the respective private filesystem associated with at least one of the plurality of applications;

constructing a shared filesystem within the portable storage device;

for each application of the plurality of applications;

in response to determining, based on a key value associated with the application, that the application is configured to share the respective private filesystem with the host device, wherein the key value is stored in a configuration file associated with the application in conjunction with the application permitting the respective private filesystem to be shared;

updating a configuration of the shared filesystem to include a respective link that enables the host device to access the respective private filesystem; and

advertising the shared filesystem to the host device.

8. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the shared filesystem appears as a shared volume to the host device.

9. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein advertising comprises transmitting an advertisement that includes an identifier of the portable storage device to the host device.

10. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

coupling the portable storage device to the host device with a universal serial bus link.

11. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

assigning a private internet protocol (IP) address to an interface, wherein the shared filesystem is bound to the interface.

12. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the shared filesystem is accessible via the interface with the private IP address.

13. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein a corresponding application resident on the host device has access to files in the shared filesystem.

14. A portable storage device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the portable storage device to;

manage a plurality of applications resident on the portable storage device, wherein each application of the plurality of applications is associated with a respective private filesystem that stores data managed by the application that is inaccessible to the other applications of the plurality of applications;

receive, from a host device, a request to access the respective private filesystem associated with at least one of the plurality of applications;

construct a shared filesystem within the portable storage device;

for each application of the plurality of applications;

in response to determining, based on a key value associated with the application, that the application is configured to share the respective private filesystem with the host device, wherein the key value is stored in a configuration file associated with the application in conjunction with the application permitting the respective private filesystem to be shared;

update a configuration of the shared filesystem to include a respective link that enables the host device to access the respective private filesystem; and

advertise the shared filesystem to the host device.

15. The portable storage device of claim 14, wherein the shared filesystem appears as a shared volume to the host device.

16. The portable storage device of claim 14, wherein advertising comprises transmitting an advertisement that includes an identifier of the portable storage device to the host device.

17. The portable storage device of claim 14, wherein a corresponding application resident on the host device has access to files in the shared filesystem.

18. The portable storage device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor further causes the portable storage device to:

couple the portable storage device to the host device with a universal serial bus link.

19. The portable storage device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor further causes the portable storage device to:

assign a private internet protocol (IP) address to an interface, wherein the shared filesystem is bound to the interface.

20. The portable storage device of claim 19, wherein the shared filesystem is accessible via the interface with the private IP address.