System and method for supporting a plurality of access control list types for a file system in an operating system

A computer system including a processor for executing program instructions coupled to a memory for storing the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are instructions forming a portion of an operating system for managing file access in the computer system, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:

• receiving, by a file system within an image of the operating system executing within the computer system, an access request for accessing a file stored within the computer system and accessible by the file system;
• responsive to receiving the access request, transmitting, from the file system to an access control management framework external to the file system and within the operating system image, an access check request for causing the access control management framework to perform an access check operation, wherein the transmitting transmits, within the operating system image, a generic access check operation code to the access control management framework;
• responsive to the transmitting, receiving the access check request at the access control management framework;
• responsive to receiving the access check request at the access control management framework, performing an access check operation within the operating system image as specified by the generic access check operation code using one of multiple access control list engines within the operating system image and external to the file system, wherein the one of the multiple access control list engines is selected in conformity with a type of access control list entry appropriate for the file as accessible by the file system, wherein the multiple access control list engines correspond to different types of access control list entry types;
• and
• returning a result of the access request to the file system, wherein the file system responds to the access request in conformity with a result of the access check performed by the one of the multiple access control list engines.

A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions forming a portion of an operating system, wherein the program instructions are for managing file access in the computer system, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:

• receiving, by a file system within an image of the operating system executing within the computer system, an access request for accessing a file stored within the computer system and accessible by the file system;
• responsive to receiving the access request, transmitting, from the file system to an access control management framework external to the file system and within the operating system image, an access check request for causing the access control management framework to perform an access check operation, wherein the transmitting transmits, within the operating system image, a generic access check operation code to the access control management framework;
• responsive to the transmitting, receiving the access check request at the access control management framework;
• responsive to receiving the access check request at the access control management framework, performing an access check operation within the operating system image as specified by the generic access check operation code using one of multiple access control list engines within the operating system image and external to the file system, wherein the one of the multiple access control list engines is selected in conformity with a type of access control list entry appropriate for the file as accessible by the file system, wherein the multiple access control list engines correspond to different types of access control list entry types;
• and
• returning a result of the access request to the file system, wherein the file system responds to the access request in conformity with a result of the access check performed by the one of the multiple access control list engines.