Managing hierarchical authority to access files in a shared database

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• program instructions on said medium that when executed completes the following:
• enabling storage of a file at a storage facility of a network that is accessible to multiple users;
• granting a first user access to a file stored on said storage facility;
• receiving a request from a second user for access to the file while the file is being accessed by the first user;
• queuing said second user to be given a next access to the file when the access by the first user is terminated;
• automatically signaling said second user when said access by the first user has terminated, wherein said second user is alerted when said file is available for access by said second user and said second user's access is provided ahead of a subsequent request for access by another user while said access by said first user is ongoing.

A network comprising:

• a network management server;
• a storage facility with at least one file that is accessible by multiple users via the network management server;
• a plurality of client systems coupled to the network backbone and utilized by respective ones of said multiple users to access said file;
• and
• a network-database access management utility (NAMU) that completes the following:
• enabling storage of a file at a storage facility of a network that is accessible to multiple users;
• granting a first user access to a file stored on said storage facility;
• receiving a request from a second user for access to the file while the file is being accessed by the first user;
• queuing said second user to be given a next access to the file when the access by the first user is terminated;
• automatically signaling said second user when said access by the first user has terminated, wherein said second user is alerted when said file is available for access by said second user and said second user's access is provided ahead of a subsequent request for access by another user while said access by said first user is ongoing.