Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A computer system for managing files or other data objects shared by first and second heterogeneous clients, said first client exhibiting a first protocol and said second client exhibiting a second, different protocol, said system comprising: first protocol converter means, coupled to the first client to receive requests exhibiting said first protocol from said first client to create, read and write the files or other data objects, for converting said requests to corresponding requests in a common protocol; second protocol converter means, coupled to the second client to receive requests exhibiting said second protocol from said second client to create, read and write the files or other data objects, for converting said requests to corresponding requests exhibiting said common protocol; file manager means, coupled to said first and second protocol converter means to receive the converted requests exhibiting said common protocol from said first and second protocol converters, for executing said converted requests in a name space and data area which are both common to said first and second clients, said name space storing names of said file or other data objects and said data area storing said files or other data objects, said file manager means providing access by each of said clients to names of said files or other data objects created by the other client, and access by each of said clients to said files or other data objects written by the other client.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising lock manager means, common to both of said protocol converters and callable by both of said protocol converters with said common protocol, for locking names of said files or other data objects throughout said name space and said files or other data objects, throughout said data area during access by each of said clients to prevent conflicting access by the other client.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said file manager means supports requests by each of said clients, after protocol conversion by the respective protocol converter, to delete a name of a file or other data object created by the other client and the associated file or other data object written by said other client.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
226 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said file manager means also manages access by said first client to a second name space for names of other files or other data objects and a second data area for said other files or other data objects dedicated to said first client and not accessible by said said second client, and manages access by said second client to a third name space for names of other files or other data objects and a third data area for said other files or other data objects dedicated to said second client and not accessible by said first client; said first client makes said requests to said first protocol converter means to access said second name space and said second data area using said first protocol and said first protocol converter means converts said requests to requests exhibiting said common protocol and passes the converted requests exhibiting said common protocol to said file manager means for execution; and said second client makes said requests to said second protocol converter means to access said third name space and said third data area using said second protocol and said second protocol converter means converts said requests to requests exhibiting said common protocol and passes the converted requests exhibiting said common protocol to said file manager means for execution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said first client exhibits an SMB protocol and said first protocol converter supports the SMB protocol, and said second client exhibits an NFS protocol and said second protocol converter supports the NFS protocol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1 or one of the claims 2 to 5 wherein said file manager means executes within a host computer, said first client is a remote workstation or personal computer and said second client is an application executing within said host computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
Computer system as set forth in claim 1 or one of the claims 2 to 6 further comprising routing program means, coupled to receive said requests from said first and second clients exhibiting said first and second protocols, respectively, for routing said requests to said first and second protocol converters, respectively, based on the type of client which makes said request.