KR20020011621A - System for Common Ownership and Access for Storage area Using Computers Connected to the Internet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for sharing and accessing to a storage using a computer connected by the Internet is provided to share a storage and to use the space as files stored in one's computer by forming a group by only PCs using a public switching network as the Internet without an additional server or network. CONSTITUTION: A client server(23) converts a file related request through a user PC into a request to be used in a shared system and supplies the request to a user on the Internet. When the user requests a client from a client server on the Internet, a certification server(21) judges whether the user has a right for the request. A user database(14) stores various information to the user and contents with respect to a user's right on a shared storage. A group server supplies information with respect to a server list of each group sharing a storage and file lists stored in each server. In case that the user performs a certain request in the shared storage, an access server(13) receives the request initially, and is connected to the user database(14), and judges whether the request is a permitted request and processes the request. If the request can not processed by the access server(13), the access server(13) communicates with the group server for supplying the information to a user computer(11) capable of performing the request and storing shared files.

Description

System for Common Ownership and Access for Storage area Using Computers Connected to the Internet}

The present invention relates to a system for sharing and accessing a storage space using a computer connected to the Internet, and more particularly, based on the concept of groups, users, and permissions, without designation of a network system such as a separate file server or a LAN. A group of users relates to a system that can share contents stored in a computer with each other through a public network such as the Internet.

Conventionally, there are two ways to share a file stored in a computer. The first method uses a file transfer protocol, and the second method uses a network file system.

In the case of the file transfer protocol, a method of sharing a file by uploading or downloading a file to be shared to a file transfer protocol server, and a network file system provides a huge storage space regardless of a user's location and accesses the file. Is a file sharing system that provides the same as accessing a local file system on a user terminal.

However, the conventional file transfer protocol has a disadvantage in that it only stays in a service for storing files and cannot be utilized like a file stored in its own computer. A network file system is basically based on a server such as Unix or Windows NT. Because it operates in the same way, it can not be implemented only by a client-class computer such as a general PC.

Microsoft's Windows system, on the other hand, provides access to the remote computer's storage space, based on server message blocks. This technique can provide storage sharing and local file system interface between PC-class computers. However, this system simply provides read / write access to shared resources and allows access to specific users, making it difficult to control access to shared storage, and to remote PCs that cannot form a local network. There is a problem that makes file sharing difficult.

In the present invention, in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, using a public network such as the Internet without forming a separate server or network to form a group with only PCs to share the storage space, it is a file stored in their computer I would like to propose a system that can be used as follows.

1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a storage sharing and access system according to the present invention,

2 illustrates a configuration of a user authentication unit and an authentication sequence in the user authentication unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a server for processing a user's request and a request processing sequence of the user in the system according to the present invention;

4 is a diagram for one example of providing a folder grouping files matching a search condition;

In order to achieve the above object, the system for sharing and accessing a storage space using a PC connected to the Internet according to the present invention is converted into a request that can be commonly used in a system where a user shares a file related request through a PC. A client server for providing the user with the Internet; An authentication server that determines whether the user has the authority to request when a user requests a client from the client server on the Internet; A user database for storing general information about the user and contents of the user's authority on the shared storage space; A group server providing information on a server list of each group sharing a storage space and a list of files stored in each server; When a user makes a request on a shared storage space, the request is accepted for the first time, connected with the user database to determine and process the request as an authorized request, and communicate with the group server if the request cannot be processed. An access server providing information about user computers in the group that can actually process the request; It is provided by the user, characterized in that it comprises a user computer for storing the file to be shared.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the storage space sharing and access system using a PC connected to the Internet according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the storage sharing and access system according to the present invention.

The present invention consists of two systems based on the client server model. One is a system for providing a shared storage, a system for actually processing a request for a user's file, and the other for receiving a user's request to create a file-related request in a storage system sharing system according to the present invention. The former becomes the server and the latter becomes the client.

When the user 11 who wants to use the system according to the present invention connects via a network, the user authentication unit 12 authenticates whether the user has the authority to use the system, and requests the user through his computer. To convert the request into a request commonly used in the system according to the present invention, that is, serve to provide a client. In general, user authentication is performed by inputting a user name and a password name to determine whether it is correct.If authentication is not performed, access to the shared system of the storage space is impossible.If authentication is performed, the user is provided with a client, and the shared system is accessed through an access server. Can be accessed. In addition, the user authentication section obtains information about the server and group name to be accessed from the user.

The access server 13 is a server that first accepts a request for a user's shared system. The access server interprets which group the user's request is for and determines whether the request is an authorized request. The access server is connected to the group server 15 and the user database 14 to process the user's request and determine whether the request is authorized.

The user database 14 stores general information about the user and information on the authority that the user has on the shared system. For example, where a user can only do things like read a file, prevent the file from being deleted, or store information about whether the user has permission to open the file directly. When a user makes a request to the access server 13 on a shared system, the access server 13 determines from the information in the user database whether the user has such authority.

The group server 15 stores a list of servers of each group sharing a storage space in a database, and determines whether a request made by a user to an access server is a request for a file of a provider, and delivers it to the access server. It plays a role of linking provider with provider that matches user's request.

As shown in FIG. 1, a group 16 sharing storage space is composed of several provider computers 17. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each provider computer sets up a shared area, and registers it with the group server 15 so that users belonging to the group can use the file stored in the shared area of the provider computer.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of a user authentication unit and a sequence of authentication in the user authentication unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The configuration and authentication method of the user authentication unit will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The user who wants to use the system according to the present invention is first connected to the authentication server 15 to prove that he is a registered user (S21). The authentication server 21 is a server that authenticates that the connected user is a valid user. The authentication server 21 is connected to the user database 14 storing information about the user and determines whether the user is a valid user recorded in the user database 14. do.

If it is determined whether the user is a valid user who can use the service, a request is made for the user's request through his computer, and a request that is commonly used in the system according to the present invention is generated. As described above, a part of receiving a user's request and generating a file related request in a shared system is called a client. The client is provided by a server on a public network. In the present invention, the client is provided by the client server 23 shown in FIG. After the authentication process, the user's request is transmitted to the client server 23, the client server 23 generates a client and transmits it to the user in real time online (S22).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the client sent from the client server 23 allows the request for shared storage to have the same interface as the request for the file system on the computer being used by the existing user. For example, if a user's computer runs on Microsoft Windows 98, the client first registers it as a network drive in the Installable File System (IFS) manager. In this way, all file service requests for the drive are forwarded to the client through the IFS Manager, which then forwards them to the access server using file processing protocols such as service message blocks or the Common Interface File System. Will switch to the request.

The user who has received the client requests the access server 13 to access a desired group (S23). The access server 13 receiving the access request from the user requests the user to transmit information about client authentication to the authentication server 21 to determine whether the user has the authority to request, and the authentication server 21 sends the client authentication information to the access server. To transmit (S24).

3 illustrates a configuration of a server for processing a user's request and a request processing sequence of the user in the system according to the present invention. A method of processing a user's request for a sharing system will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The access server 13 confirming the authentication of the client grasps the content requested by the user (S25). According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the access server 13 allows any one of the provider's computers 17 to act as the access server 13. That is, a separate access server 13 is not transmitted to the access server for a request for a user's shared space, but any one of the provider's computers 17 providing files on the shared space is the access server 13 in addition to this role. It will also serve as a role. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the designation of the computer of the access server and provider to which the user attempts to connect is stored in the user database. Information about this is sent when the client server sends the client. Therefore, the request for the shared space is transmitted to the pre-stored access server 13. The access server specified is determined per user.

The access server 13 receiving the user's request searches for information on the user's authority in the user database 14 to confirm whether the request made by the user is a request within the authority authorized to the user (S26). If a request is not made within the user's authority, a notification is sent to the user indicating that the user's access cannot be granted. If the request is within the user's authority, the access is the provider's computer 17 and acts as an access server 13. The server 13 checks whether the information can be directly processed by the server 13. When the user's request can be directly handled by the access server 13 receiving the user's request for the first time, the user directly processes the connection without connecting the user to the group server 15 (S30). The case where the access server 13 can directly process the case is that the user's request is a request for a file stored in the access server 13.

If the access server 13 is a request that cannot be directly processed, the access server requests information about the group requested by the user from the group server to process the request (S27), and the group server belongs to each group registered in advance. The server (provider computer) list and the information on the file details provided by the server is retrieved and information about the provider computer 17 corresponding to the user's request is transmitted to the access server 13 (S28). The access server 13 transmits the information to the user (S29), the user connects to the corresponding provider computer 17 and the provider computer 17 processes the user's request (S30). If the user's request requires connection with all of the provider computers 17 belonging to the group, the user's request is connected with all of them to process the request.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user's computer is allocated a cache memory which stores a list of providers of a group in advance. By applying such caching, the client can directly contact the provider computer without going through the access server 13 or the group server 15 when requesting a request made in the past again. By applying caching, it is possible to reduce the load on the group server 15 managing all groups.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system according to the present invention further includes a search server (not shown) in addition to the essential components described above. If there are many provider computers in the group and the user's request is comprehensive, it is not easy to find the desired file, so the search server is set aside so that the files matching the search conditions are grouped together. 4 illustrates an example of providing a folder in which files matching the search conditions are bundled. As shown in FIG. 4, the shared storage space provides a user with files matching the search conditions into a single folder, and when the user searches again, creates a folder suitable for the search (42). When searching again by adding another search condition in the search 1 folder shown in FIG. 4, a file corresponding to the search term added again among the files in the search 1 folder is again grouped into a folder to form a lower folder (43). The structure 43 shown in FIG. 4 created by the search is preferably stored together in the user database 14 so that the folders are organized under the same conditions as the last login environment.

As described above, according to the system for sharing and accessing a storage space using a computer connected to the Internet according to the present invention, a user forming a group through a public network such as the Internet without configuring a separate file server or LAN. You will be able to share files that are stored on your computer. In addition, the connection of the shared storage space through the Internet has the advantage that it can be used anywhere. In addition, since the file system is dynamically constructed based on the search word for the public shared storage space, there is an advantage of providing the user's convenience.

Claims (6)

In a system for sharing and accessing storage space using a PC connected to the Internet, A client server for converting a file related request made through a PC into a request that can be commonly used in a system for sharing and providing the same to a user on the Internet; An authentication server that determines whether the user has the authority to request when a user requests a client from the client server on the Internet; A user database for storing general information about the user and contents of the user's authority on the shared storage space; A group server providing information on a server list of each group sharing a storage space and a list of files stored in each server; When a user makes a request on a shared storage space, the request is accepted for the first time, connected with the user database to determine and process the request as an authorized request, and communicate with the group server if the request cannot be processed. An access server providing information about user computers in the group that can actually process the request; A system for sharing and accessing storage spaces using a computer connected to the Internet, comprising a user computer provided by a user and storing a file to be shared. The method of claim 1, The access server is any one of the user computer, the sharing and access system of the storage space using a computer connected to the Internet. The method of claim 1, And the user computer periodically registers whether its service is provided to the group server. The method of claim 1, And the user computer includes a cache memory for storing a list of providers of groups that have been connected. The method of claim 1, A system for sharing and accessing storage spaces using a computer connected to the Internet, further comprising a search server for organizing files according to a user's request into separate folders. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the access server, which is one of the user computers, is set for each user.