CIFS Server NIS Attribute Mapping for File Permission Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current storage systems face challenges in associating Network Information Services (NIS) attributes with Common Internet File System (CIFS) clients, as NIS-generated files lack ACLs and SIDs, making it difficult for CIFS clients to access and display file permissions.

Innovation Solution

The technique generates appropriate SIDs and ACLs by mapping NIS attributes to CIFS data structures, allowing CIFS servers to respond to queries about NIS-created files, and extracting names from SIDs to create displayable CIFS names.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If NIS attributes are used for file management, then file storage and basic access are enabled, but CIFS clients cannot display or understand file permissions due to lack of ACLs and SIDs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidpermission information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary translation layer that converts NIS permission attributes into CIFS-compatible ACL structures with SIDs. This mediator enables CIFS clients to understand and display file permissions by translating the underlying NIS attribute system into the CIFS security model, resolving the information loss between protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the parameter representation of file permissions by mapping NIS attributes (user IDs, group IDs, permission bits) to CIFS parameters (SIDs, ACL entries). This parameter transformation allows the same permission data to be expressed in a format that CIFS clients can interpret and display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If NIS-generated files are accessed by CIFS clients, then cross-protocol access is enabled, but file permission display and control fail due to different data structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecross-protocol accessVSAvoidpermission management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The translation mechanism acts as an intermediary that bridges the structural gap between NIS and CIFS permission systems. It automatically generates appropriate SIDs and ACL entries based on NIS attributes, making permission management transparent and easy for CIFS clients while maintaining the original NIS-based access control semantics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If direct NIS attribute exposure is used, then data integrity is maintained, but CIFS client compatibility and display capability are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidclient compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copied representation of NIS permission data in the CIFS ACL format. Rather than exposing raw NIS attributes directly to CIFS clients, it generates equivalent permission structures (ACLs with SIDs) that mirror the original NIS permissions, maintaining data integrity while ensuring client compatibility through the copied security model.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS7668881B1System and method for associating NIS attributes with CIFS clients

Publication Date: 2010.02.23 NETAPP INC

AI summary

A system and method for associating NIS attributes with CIFS client. Upon requesting attributes by a CIFS client, a CIFS security ID (SID) is generated for the owner and group from the NIS attributes associated with the NIS name. The generated SIDs are returned to the CIFS client. The SIDs are generated using the NIS UID or GID and a CIFS domain associated with the file server storing the referenced file.