Redirecting file access through a HTTP web server

a file access and web server technology, applied in the field of file system, can solve the problem that files stored on the remote workstation cannot be easily accessed at an external system, and achieve the effect of reducing the number of external systems

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-10-01
INT BUSINESS MASCH CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]In a further embodiment of the present invention, the local computing system contains a driver to distinguish between modified symbolic links and symbolic links in use for local files on the file system. This driver allows both symbolic links and modified symbolic links to be used on a file system, allowing applications to utilize unmodified symbolic links on the file system without interruption. In a further embodiment, the modified link may contain parameters used within the request to the web server to indicate a section of the file required by an application.

Problems solved by technology

This file stored on the remote workstation may not be easily accessed at an external system due to its size or an inability to be accessed via an external network connection.

Method used

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  • Redirecting file access through a HTTP web server
  • Redirecting file access through a HTTP web server
  • Redirecting file access through a HTTP web server

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0014]One aspect of the present invention introduces a new kind of symbolic link that can reroute file access requests through a web server. This allows the data to remain on the file system where it was generated, while facilitating the benefits of a symbolic link to allow a remote user to access the data as if it exists on the local file system. Further, through the use of a specialized file system driver according to a further aspect of the present invention, applications and existing symbolic links within the operating system continue to work as before without modification.

[0015]In one embodiment of the present invention, a symbolic link is modified to contain connection information to the web server which has access to the desired data. This connection information would typically include a URL, authentication information such as user name and password. This connection information placed within the symbolic link file gives the file system enough information to establish a remote...

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Abstract

The present invention provides for a system configured to redirect file access through a web server through the use of a symbolic link file. This symbolic link file is modified to include connection and authentication information of a file stored on a remote file system but is accessible through a web server. When the modified symbolic link file is accessed on a computer which is remote to the remote file system, the computer recognizes that the symbolic link requires an internet connection to the linked file. The computer establishes an internet connection to the web server using the connection and authentication connection information in the modified symbolic link file. The file is then accessed and downloaded from the web server. The computer accordingly is able to seamlessly access and open the modified symbolic link file as if it was an unmodified symbolic link file.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 058,808 filed Mar. 31, 2008, entitled “REDIRECTING FILE ACCESS THROUGH A HTTP WEB SERVER,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention generally relates to a file system operating on a computer system. The present invention specifically relates to a system configured to enable redirected file access within a computer system though an HTTP web server.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Symbolic links (commonly referred to as a symlink or “soft link”) are a special type of file that serves as a reference to another file or directory. Unix-based operating systems, in particular, feature symbolic links. Unlike a hard link, which points directly to data and represents another name for the same file, a symbolic link contains a path that identifies the target of the symbolic link. Thus, when ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F17/30
CPCG06F17/30876G06F21/6209G06F2221/2115H04L67/02H04L63/168H04L67/2814G06F2221/2119G06F16/955H04L67/563
InventorPHILLIPS, ANTHONY H.PREECE, TIMOTHY E.
OwnerINT BUSINESS MASCH CORP