Managed peer-to-peer applications, systems and methods for distributed data access and storage

• US 8,661,507 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hesselink, Lambertus, Rizal, Dharmarus, Bjornson, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US13/075,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/4, 726/17, 726/21, 726 11- 15, 726 22- 26, 713168-170, 709/204, 715/759
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Applications, systems and methods for securely and remotely operating a remote computer from a local computer over a network while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity. Secure and remote operation includes authenticating at least one remote computer for connection to at least one computer over the network and/or at least one local computer for connection to at least one remote computer over the network; establishing a secure connection between the at least one local computer and the at least one remote computer over the network; and integrating a desktop of at least one remote computer on a display of at least one local computer. The connections may be made over a public network, as well as through multiple firewalls without loss of functionality.

Claims

1. A method of securely and remotely operating a remote computer from a local computer over a public network while providing firewall-compliant connectivity, said method comprising the steps of:

authenticating at least one of said remote computer for connection to said local computer over the public network and said local computer for connection to said remote computer over the public network;

establishing a secure connection between said local computer and said remote computer over the public network by establishing a private-to-public-to-private communications tunnel, wherein a connection server routes communications from said local computer through a first firewall compliant connection and a second firewall compliant connection to said remote computer, and from said remote computer through said second firewall compliant connection to said local computer through said first firewall compliant connection to said local computer;

integrating a desktop of said remote computer on a display of said local computer, wherein said desktop as shown on said remote computer upon said integrating is displayed on said display of said local computer; and

operating said remote computer from said local computer, by manipulating the desktop in a manner the same as a manner used when operating the remote computer locally;

wherein said operating comprises at least one of;

operating a mouse pointer or cursor of said remote computer by operating a mouse of said local computer;

or operating a keyboard of said remote computer by operating a keyboard of said local computer using said keyboard of said local computer or an alternative device that said local computer uses to enter keystrokes on said local computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a secure connection comprises establishing a firewall compliant connection between said local computer and said remote computer over the public network wherein the local computer is protected by a local firewall element, and said remote computer is protected by a remote firewall element, each said firewall element adapted to protect each said computer from hostile intrusion from the public network, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating a plurality of remote computers from said local computer by similarly integrating a desktop from each of said plurality of remote computers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a secure connection further comprises:

centrally authenticating, at a location having a public address, the local computer wherein the local computer has a local firewall protected private address;

creating said first firewall compliant connection between said connection server and said local computer upon authentication of said local computer; and

establishing said second firewall compliant connection between said connection server and said remote computer having a remote firewall protected private address.

5. A method of securely and remotely operating a remote computer from a local computer over a network while providing firewall-compliant connectivity, said method comprising the steps of:

authenticating at least one of said remote computer for connection to said local computer over the network and said local computer for connection to said remote computer over the network;

establishing a secure connection between said local computer and said remote computer over the network by establishing a private-to-public-to-private communications tunnel, wherein a connection server routes communications from said local computer through a first firewall compliant connection and a second firewall compliant connection to said remote computer, and from said remote computer through said second firewall compliant connection to said local computer through said first firewall compliant connection to said local computer;

integrating a desktop of said remote computer on a display of said local computer, wherein said desktop as shown on said remote computer upon said integrating is displayed on said display of said local computer; and

operating said remote computer from said local computer, by manipulating the desktop in a manner the same as a manner used when operating the remote computer locally;

wherein said operating comprises at least one of;

operating a mouse pointer or cursor of said remote computer by operating a mouse of said local computer;

or operating a keyboard of said remote computer by operating a keyboard of said local computer using said keyboard of said local computer or an alternative device that said local computer uses to enter keystrokes on said local computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said desktop is fully functional on the display of said local computer, wherein said manipulating said desktop locally causes operation of said remote computer as if said remote computer were being locally operated.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said remote and local computers connect to the network through firewalls, respectively.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said authenticating is carried out at a location having a public address.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said establishing a secure connection comprises:

creating a first firewall compliant connection between said connection server and said local computer upon authentication of said local computer;

establishing said second firewall compliant connection between said connection server and said remote computer, wherein said remote computer has a remote firewall protected private address.

10. A method of accessing and using at least one remote computer from a local computer over a public network, said method comprising the steps of:

centrally authenticating, at a location having a public address, a first computer having a first, firewall protected private address;

creating a first firewall compliant connection between a publicly addressed connection server and said first computer upon authentication of said first computer;

establishing a second firewall compliant connection between said publicly addressed connection server and a second computer having a second firewall protected private address;

establishing a private-to-public-to-private communications tunnel, wherein said connection server routes communications from said first computer through said first firewall compliant connection and said second firewall compliant connection to said second computer, and from said second computer through said second firewall compliant connection and said first firewall compliant connection to said first computer; and

performing at least one further step selected from the group consisting of;

integrating a file structure of accessible files accessed at said second or first computer, into a file structure contained at said first or second computer, respectively;

at least one of integrating a desktop of said second computer on a display of said first computer, wherein said desktop as shown on said second computer upon said integrating is displayed on said display of said first computer; and

integrating a desktop of said first computer on a display of said second computer, wherein said desktop as shown on said first computer upon said integrating is displayed on said display of said second computer; and

operating said second computer from said first computer or said first computer from said second computer, wherein the computer that is operated is selected from the group consisting of;

home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising authenticating and establishing at least one additional secure connection with at least a third computer and the connection server, wherein said access and use and said at least one further step may be carried out point to multipoint, from one of the connected computers to a plurality of remaining connected computers.