Secure network file access control system

A method of securing file data on a network storage device accessible to clients through a network, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) establishing a network portal through which network file accesses are routed between a predetermined client system and a network file data store;
• b) authenticating, supported by said network portal, network access by an application executed on said predetermined client system with respect to said network file data store;
• c) filtering, by said network portal, first network file requests provided by said predetermined client with respect to a predetermined network data file stored by said network file data store, said filtering step including evaluating authentication data provided with said first network file requests as a qualifying basis for providing second network file requests to said network file data store;
• and
• d) processing, by said network portal, first network file data identified by said first network file requests to secure said first network file data as second network file data for transport between said predetermined client and said network file data store.

A network file access appliance providing secure remote file-based access to an external data store, said network file access appliance comprising:

• a) first and second network interfaces coupleable respectively to a client network and an external data storage network;
• and
• b) a network data processor coupled between said first and second network interfaces, said network data processor terminating a first network file access transaction across said first network interface and initiating a second network file access transaction across said second network interface,
• said network data processor including
• an authentication controller, responsive to access authentication data provided with said first network file access transaction, operative to validate said first network file access transaction with respect to a predetermined application program, and
• a protocol processor, responsive to said authentication controller, operative to convert the presentation of network file data between a first form transported in said first network file access transaction and a secure second form transported in said second network file access transaction.