Method and system for simplifying distributed server management

A virtual server, having a virtual server client and a virtual server agent, for representing a plurality of servers as an abstract model, wherein the virtual server comprises,

• (a) a virtual server client receiver for receiving an abstract system call from a software application program;
• (b) a virtual server client instantiator, in communication with the virtual server client receiver, for instantiating the abstract system call in a thread-safe manner;
• (c) a virtual server client transmitter, in communication with the virtual server client instantiator, for transmitting the abstract system call;
• (d) a virtual server agent receiver for receiving the abstract system call from the virtual server client transmitter;
• (e) a virtual server agent translator for translating the abstract system call to an operating system specific system call;
• and
• (f) a target server executor for executing the operating system specific system call on a target server associated with the virtual server agent in a thread-safe manner.

A method for securely executing a system call on a remote computer, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving, by a virtual server client running on a first computer, an abstract system call from an application called by an authenticated user;
• (b) instantiating in a thread-safe manner the abstract system call by:
• identifying, by the virtual server client, a virtual server agent running on a remote computer to receive the abstract system call;
• (c) encrypting, by the virtual server client, the abstract system call;
• (d) communicating the encrypted abstract system call to the virtual server agent;
• (e) identifying, by the virtual server agent, the first computer and the authenticated user
• (f) decrypting, by the virtual server agent, the encrypted abstract system call;
• (g) mapping the authenticated user to a local user on the remote computer;
• (h) impersonating the authenticated user as the local user on the remote computer;
• (i) authorizing the decrypted abstract system call for the local user based on at least one of role-based access control model and access control lists;
• (j) translating the abstract system call to an operating system specific system call;
• and
• (k) executing as the local user, by the virtual server agent, the operating system specific system call on the remote computer.

A virtual server for securely executing a system call on a remote computer, the virtual server comprising:

• (a) a virtual server client receiver running on a first computer for receiving an abstract system call from an application called by an authenticated user;
• (b) a virtual server client instantiator, in communication with the virtual server client receiver, for instantiating the abstract system call in a thread-safe manner by identifying a virtual server agent running on a remote computer to receive the first abstract system call;
• (c) a virtual server client encryptor, in communication with the virtual server client instantiator, for encrypting the abstract system call;
• (d) a virtual server client transmitter for communicating the encrypted abstract system call to the virtual server agent;
• (e) a virtual server agent identifier, in communication with the virtual server agent decryptor, for identifying the authenticated user and the first computer;
• (f) a virtual server agent decryptor, in communication with the virtual server client transmitter, for decrypting the encrypted abstract system call;
• (g) a virtual server agent mapper, in communication with the identifier and the decryptor, for mapping the authenticated user to a local user on the remote computer;
• (h) a virtual server agent impersonator for impersonating the authenticated user as the local user on the remote computer;
• (i) a virtual server agent authorizer, in communication with the virtual server agent impersonator, for authorizing the decrypted abstract system call for the local user based on at least one of role-based access control model and access control lists;
• (j) a virtual server agent translator for translating the abstract system call to an operating system specific system call;
• and
• (k) a virtual server agent executor, in communication with the virtual server agent authorizer, for executing the operating system specific system call as the local user on the remote computer.