CIFS Proxy Transparent Multi-Server Authentication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network file system protocols, such as CIFS and SMB, require users to authenticate with multiple servers individually, prompting users for credentials multiple times, which is inconvenient and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A CIFS proxy system that authenticates clients to multiple network servers by modifying authentication requests and responses, allowing the proxy to act as a single CIFS server, thus enabling transparent access to multiple servers with user credentials provided only once.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users authenticate with multiple servers individually using existing CIFS and SMB protocols, then each server can verify user credentials independently, but users are prompted for authentication information multiple times which reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary between the client and multiple CIFS/SMB servers. The proxy server consolidates authentication by verifying user credentials once and then representing the user when accessing multiple backend servers. This eliminates the need for users to authenticate with each server individually, resolving the contradiction between reliable authentication verification and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If a proxy system consolidates authentication to multiple servers, then user authentication convenience is improved, but the proxy system must modify and forward authentication requests which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication process into distinct phases: initial user authentication with the proxy server, and subsequent proxy-mediated access to multiple backend servers. By separating the authentication function from the data access function, the proxy system manages complexity while maintaining user convenience. The proxy handles credential verification once and then manages multiple server connections independently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the proxy system establishes separate sessions with multiple servers, then access to multiple servers is enabled, but authentication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication where the user's credentials are verified once by the proxy server before accessing any backend servers. The proxy server establishes and caches authentication tokens or session information that can be reused across multiple server connections. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated authentication handshakes, enabling multi-server access while reducing authentication time overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for a proxy system to provide a client device with transparent access to multiple network file servers. The proxy system may appear to the client device as a single network file server. The proxy may be configured to forward requests received from the client device to multiple servers as well as provide responses from the server back to the client. Further, the proxy system may authenticate itself, as the client, to each of the multiple network servers using authentication credentials supplied by the client. After prompting a user to submit credentials to establish a session with a first network server, the proxy system may send a session timeout error code, prompting the client to submit a fresh authentication request used by the proxy system to establish a session with a second network server.