Method and system for leasing storage

A method for accessing a storage in a system that includes a client and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

• requesting by the client a lease from the server for accessing the storage;
• granting the requested lease by the server to the client for a lease period;
• and
• accessing the storage by the client according to the granted lease such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the server.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a storage;
• a memory including:
• a client program containing first code that requests a lease for accessing the storage;
• and
• a server program containing second code that determines a lease period during which the client program has access to the storage, containing third code that grants the lease to the client program for the lease period, and containing fourth code that permits access by the client program to the storage according to the granted lease such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the server program;
• and
• a processor for running the client program and the server program.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a storage;
• an accessing means for requesting a lease for accessing the storage for a period of time;
• and
• a file server means for determining a lease period during which the accessing means has access to the storage and for granting the lease for the lease period and for permitting access by the accessing means to the storage according to the granted lease such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the file server means.

A computer-readable memory device encoded with a data structure for accessing a storage in a system including a client and a server, the data structure comprising:

• an object including:
• an identifier identifying a portion of the storage to which the client has access for a lease period according to a lease negotiated between the client and the server;
• and
• code for managing the lease by the client.

A computer-readable memory device encoded with a data structure for accessing a storage in a system including a client and a server, the data structure comprising:

• an identifier identifying a portion of the storage to which the client requests access from the server;
• a requested lease period for accessing the portion of the storage by the client;
• and
• a type of access requested by the client.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the data processing system including a client and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

• requesting by the client a lease from the server for accessing a storage managed by the server;
• granting the lease by the server to the client for a lease period;
• providing by the server to the client code for managing the granted lease;
• and
• accessing the storage by the client according to the granted lease such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the server.

A method for accessing a storage in a system that includes a client and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

• the client requesting a lease from the server for accessing the storage;
• the client receiving from the server an object that grants the lease to the client for a lease period;
• and
• the client accessing the storage for the lease period such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the server.

A method for accessing a storage in a system that includes a client and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

• the server receiving from the client a request for a lease for accessing the storage;
• the server granting the lease to the client for a lease period;
• and
• the server providing the client with access to the storage for the lease period such that after expiration or cancellation of the granted lease the storage is reallocated by the server.