Importance

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Abstract

A computer system manages files shared by first and second heterogeneous clients. The first client exhibits a first protocol such as SMB and the second client exhibits a second, different protocol such as NFS. A first protocol converter receives requests from the first client to create, read and update the files, and converts the requests to corresponding requests exhibiting a common protocol. A second protocol converter receives requests from the second client to create, read and update the files, and converts the requests to corresponding requests exhibiting the common protocol. A file manager is common to both clients and both protocol converters, receives the converted requests exhibiting the common protocol and executes the requests in a name space and data area which are both common to the first and second clients. The name space stores names of the files and the data area stores the files. The file manager provides access by each of the clients to files and names of the files created by the other client. A common lock manager is provided for the common name space and common data area. The system also supports second and third name spaces and data areas dedicated to the first and second clients, respectively.

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First Claim