US6338064B1 — Method for enabling a web server running a “close…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of enabling a server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a resource located in a file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: in response to a request from the user to access the resource, obtaining a credential from the security service; associating the credential to a temporary operating system user identifier selected from a pool of such identifiers; and having the server use the temporary operating system user identifier to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of enabling a server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a resource located in a file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: in response to a request from the user to access the resource, obtaining a credential from the security service; associating the credential to a temporary operating system user identifier selected from a pool of such identifiers; and having the server use the temporary operating system user identifier to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as described in claim 1 wherein the step of associating the credential to a temporary operating system user identifier includes adding a key to a registry of the operating system identifying a name of the temporary operating system user.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method as described in claim 2 wherein the step of associating the credential to the temporary operating system user identifier also includes adding a value to the registry of the operating system representing a path to a file supporting the credential.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method as described in claim 1 wherein the closed native operating system is Windows NT.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as described in claim 4 wherein the server is a Web server, the client includes a browser that initiates the request, the distributed file system is Open Group Distributed File Services (DFS), and the resource is a Web object.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method as described in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining the credential includes the steps of: prompting the user to enter a userid and password associated with the distributed computing environment; and using the userid and password to obtain the credential.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as described in claim 1 further including the step of creating the pool of temporary operating system user identifiers.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as described in claim 7 wherein the associating step includes the steps of: selecting an unused temporary operating system user identifier from the pool; and identifying the selected temporary operating system user identifier as in use.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as described in claim 8 further including the step of returning the selected temporary operating system identifier back to the pool after the request is serviced.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of enabling a Web server to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the client and server supporting a closed native operating system, and the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: creating a pool of temporary native operating system user identifiers; in response to a request from the user to access the Web document, obtaining a credential from the security service; associating the credential to a temporary native operating system user identifier selected from a pool; and having the Web server use the temporary native operating system user identifier to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of enabling a Web server to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the client and server supporting a closed native operating system, and the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: creating a pool of temporary native operating system user identifiers; in response to a request from the user to access the Web document, obtaining a credential from the security service; associating the credential to a temporary native operating system user identifier selected from a pool; and having the Web server use the temporary native operating system user identifier to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method as described in claim 10 wherein the step of associating the credential to a temporary native operating system user identifier includes the steps of: adding a key to a registry of the native operating system identifying a name of the temporary native operating system user; and adding a value to the registry representing a path to a file supporting the credential.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method as described in claim 11 wherein the closed native operating system is Windows NT.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method as described in claim 12 wherein the distributed file system is Open Group Distributed File Services (DFS).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method as described in claim 10 wherein the step of obtaining the credential includes the steps of: prompting the user to enter a userid and password associated with the distributed computing environment; and performing a programmatic login to the security service using the userid and password to obtain the credential.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method as described in claim 10 wherein the associating step includes the steps of: selecting an unused temporary native operating system user identifier from the pool; and identifying the selected temporary native operating system user identifier as in use.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method as described in claim 15 further including the step of returning the selected temporary native operating system user identifier back to the pool after the request is serviced.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 102 words

A method of enabling a Web server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: in response to a request from the user to access the Web document, setting up a temporary user identity with a credential; and having the Web server use the temporary user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 102 words

A method of enabling a Web server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising the steps of: in response to a request from the user to access the Web document, setting up a temporary user identity with a credential; and having the Web server use the temporary user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 103 words

The method as described in claim 17 wherein the step of setting up the temporary user identity with a credential includes the steps of: prompting the user to enter a userid and password associated with the distributed computing environment; performing a login to the security service using the userid and password to obtain the credential; selecting an unused user identity from a pool of temporary user identities; identifying the selected user identity as in use; adding a key to a registry which identifies the temporary user identity; and adding a value to the registry specifying a path to a file supporting the credential.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as described in claim 18 further including the step of returning the selected user identity back to the pool after the request is serviced.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 89 words

A method of impersonating a user identity, comprising the steps of: creating a pool of userids for a first operating system for use by a managing process; selecting a userid from the pool and marking the userid as in use; creating a credential file for a first process; adding the selected userid to a registry of userids for the first operating system; associating the selected userid to the credential file; and using the selected userid and the credential file to impersonate a user identity in the first operating system.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 89 words

A method of impersonating a user identity, comprising the steps of: creating a pool of userids for a first operating system for use by a managing process; selecting a userid from the pool and marking the userid as in use; creating a credential file for a first process; adding the selected userid to a registry of userids for the first operating system; associating the selected userid to the credential file; and using the selected userid and the credential file to impersonate a user identity in the first operating system.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 128 words

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in obtaining a protected file in a computer network having a client and a server each of which support a closed native operating system, the server connectable to a file system of a distributed computing environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, the computer program product comprising: means, responsive to a service request from a user of a process on the client, for associating a temporary closed native operating system user identity with a credential returned from the security service; and means for controlling the server to use the temporary closed native operating system user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 128 words

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in obtaining a protected file in a computer network having a client and a server each of which support a closed native operating system, the server connectable to a file system of a distributed computing environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, the computer program product comprising: means, responsive to a service request from a user of a process on the client, for associating a temporary closed native operating system user identity with a credential returned from the security service; and means for controlling the server to use the temporary closed native operating system user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer program product as described in claim 21 wherein the closed native operating system is Windows NT.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer program product as described in claim 21 further including means for creating a pool of temporary native operating system user identities.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 35 words

The computer program product as described in claim 23 further including means for selecting a temporary native operating system user identity and for limiting its use by another server thread during servicing of the request.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 30 words

The computer program product as described in claim 21 further including means for prompting the user to enter a userid and password required by the distributed computing environment security service.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer program product as described in claim 21 wherein the associating means includes means for adding an entry to a registry of the native operating system.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer program product as described in claim 26 wherein the entry includes information identifying the temporary native operating system user identity and a path specifying a location of the credential.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 195 words

A computer program product for enabling a Web server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, the computer program product comprising: means for creating a pool of temporary user identities; means responsive to a request from a user of a browser of the Web client for prompting the user to enter a userid and password associated with the distributed computing environment; means for performing a login to the security service using the userid and password to obtain a credential; means for selecting an unused user identity from the pool of temporary user identities; means for identifying the selected user identity as in use; means for adding a key to a registry identifying the temporary user identity; and means for adding a value to the registry specifying a path to a file supporting the credential; and means for returning the selected user identity back to the pool after the request is serviced.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 195 words

A computer program product for enabling a Web server supporting a closed native operating system to impersonate a user of a client to obtain a Web document located in a distributed file system of a distributed computer environment, the distributed computer environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, the computer program product comprising: means for creating a pool of temporary user identities; means responsive to a request from a user of a browser of the Web client for prompting the user to enter a userid and password associated with the distributed computing environment; means for performing a login to the security service using the userid and password to obtain a credential; means for selecting an unused user identity from the pool of temporary user identities; means for identifying the selected user identity as in use; means for adding a key to a registry identifying the temporary user identity; and means for adding a value to the registry specifying a path to a file supporting the credential; and means for returning the selected user identity back to the pool after the request is serviced.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 129 words

A computer connectable to a distributed computing environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising: a processor; a closed native operating system; a Web server program for providing World Wide Web information retrieval to Web clients connectable to the Web server program via a computer network; a server plug-in for authenticating Web clients to the Web server program, comprising: means, responsive to a service request from a user of a browser on the Web client, for associating a temporary native operating system user identity with a credential returned from the security service; and means for controlling the Web server to use the temporary native operating system user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 129 words

A computer connectable to a distributed computing environment including a security service for returning a credential to a user authenticated to access the distributed file system, comprising: a processor; a closed native operating system; a Web server program for providing World Wide Web information retrieval to Web clients connectable to the Web server program via a computer network; a server plug-in for authenticating Web clients to the Web server program, comprising: means, responsive to a service request from a user of a browser on the Web client, for associating a temporary native operating system user identity with a credential returned from the security service; and means for controlling the Web server to use the temporary native operating system user identity to assume the user's identity to service the request.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer as described in claim 21 wherein the closed native operating system is Windows NT.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer as described in claim 21 wherein the server plug-in further includes means for creating a pool of temporary native operating system user identities.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computer as described in claim 31 wherein the server plug-in further includes means for selecting a temporary native operating system user identity and for limiting its use by another Web server thread during servicing of the request.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 32 words

The computer as described in claim 29 wherein the server plug-in further includes means for prompting the user to enter a userid and password required by the distributed computing environment security service.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer as described in claim 29 wherein the associating means includes means for adding an entry to a registry of the closed native operating system.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 29 words

The computer as described in claim 34 wherein the entry includes information identifying the temporary native operating system user identity and a path specifying a location of the credential.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-01-07	2005-07-09	2006-01-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-01-07	2009-07-09	2010-01-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-01-07	2013-07-09	2014-01-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method for enabling a web server running a “closed” native operating system to impersonate a user of a web client to obtain a protected file

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag