Remote file services network-infrastructure cache
AssigneeINCA Technology, Inc.
InventorsWilliam M. Pitts, Joel R. Rigler, Robert E. Lister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network-infrastructure cache ("NI Cache") transparently provides proxy file services to a plurality of client workstations concurrently requesting access to file data stored on a server. The NI Cache includes a network interface that connects to a digital computer network. A file-request service-module of the NI Cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from workstations through the network interface. A cache, also included in the NI Cache, stores data that is transmitted back to the workstations. A file-request generation-module, also included in the NI Cache, transmits requests for data to the server, and receives responses from the server that include data missing from the cache.
Claims19
A network-infrastructure cache for providing proxy services to a plurality of client workstations concurrently requesting access to data stored on a server;
- the client workstations and the server being interconnected by a network via which client workstations may transmit network-file-services-protocol requests to the server, and via which the server transmits network-file-services-protocol responses to requesting client workstations;
- the network-infrastructure cache comprising:
- a network interface that connects to the network for providing a hardware and software interface to the network through which the network-infrastructure cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from client workstations for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy services;
- a file-request service-module for receiving via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests transmitted by the client workstations for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy services, and for transmitting to client workstations via said network interface network-file-services-protocol responses to the network-file-services-protocol requests;
- a cache from which said file-request service-module retrieves data that is included in the network-file-services-protocol responses that said file-request service-module transmits to the client workstations;
- and
- a file-request generation-module for transmitting to the server via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests for data specified in network-file-services-protocol requests received by said file-request service-module that is missing from said cache, for receiving from the server network-file-services-protocol responses that include data missing from said cache, and for transmitting such missing data to said cache for storage therein.
A protocol-bridging network-infrastructure cache for providing proxy services to a plurality of client workstations concurrently requesting access to data stored on a server;
- the client workstations and the server being interconnected by a network via which client workstations may transmit network-file-services-protocol requests to the server, and via which the server transmits network-file-services-protocol responses to requesting client workstations;
- the network-infrastructure cache comprising:
- a. a network interface that connects to the network for providing a hardware and software interface to the network through which the network-infrastructure cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from client workstations for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy services;
- b. a file-request service-module for:
- i. receiving via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests that are transmitted by the client workstations for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy services, and that are expressed in a first network-file-services protocol;
- and
- ii. transmitting to client workstations via said network interface in the first network-file-services protocol network-file-services-protocol responses to the network-file-services-protocol requests;
- c. a cache from which said file-request service-module retrieves data that is included in the network-file-services-protocol responses that said file-request service-module transmits to the client workstations;
- d. a file-request generation-module for:
- i. transmitting to the server via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests expressed in the first network-file-services protocol for data specified in network-file-services-protocol requests received by said file-request service-module that is missing from said cache;
- ii. receiving in the first network-file-services protocol network-file-services-protocol responses that include data missing from said cache, and
- iii. transmitting such missing data to said cache for storage therein;
- and
- e. protocol-translation means which:
- i. upon detecting that the server to which network-file-services-protocol requests generated by said file-request generation-module are addressed does not respond to network-file-services-protocol requests expressed in the first network-file-services protocol, translates network-file-services-protocol requests expressed in the first network-file-services protocol into network-file-services-protocol requests expressed in a second network-file-services protocol that differs from the first network-file-services protocol and to which the server responds;
- and
- ii. upon detecting that network-file-services-protocol responses received from the server directed to the file-request generation-module are expressed in the second network-file-services protocol, translates the network-file-services-protocol responses into network-file-services-protocol responses expressed in the first network-file-services protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.