Method and apparatus for automated remote volume mounting using a plug-in installed on a client
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorScott Ryder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for remotely and automatically mounting volumes over a network. The invention uses an interface, such as a web browser, to authenticate a client on a server. The server supplies volume mounting parameters specific to the authenticated client via a plug-in installed on the client. The plug-in then interacts, in one embodiment of the invention, with file system software on the client and automatically mounts the volume(s) in accordance with the supplied parameters.
Claims20
A method for automatically mounting a plurality of remote volumes to a client, comprising:
- without receiving a request from a user of said client to mount said plurality of remote volumes, logging into a first server;
- via a plug-in module installed on the client, receiving a set of mounting parameters from the first server;
- and
- at the client, automatically mounting said plurality of volumes utilizing said returned parameters, said volumes after mounting behaving as native to said client, even though said volumes are located remote to said client.
A system for automatically mounting volumes over a network, said system comprising:
- a client configured to automatically request said mounting of said volumes without the need for a user of said client to request said mounting of said volumes;
- a server coupled to said client, said server configured to return a mounting command block to said client;
- and
- a plug-in installed in said client, said plug-in configured to approve the address of said server;
- said client utilizing said returned mounting command block to mount said volumes.
In a computer system having a processor and memory, an apparatus for automatically mounting a plurality of remote volumes to said computer system, said apparatus comprising:
- a plug-in module configured to receive from a server a mounting command block, said mounting command block comprising volume mounting parameters;
- and
- an application programming interface coupled to said plug-in module and configured to automatically mount said volumes specified in said mounting command block, said mounting performed without the need for user intervention.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.