International Business Machines Corporation

David Paul Dutcher

Stanley Alan Smith

Scott Alan Lenharth

William H Sinclair, Jr

James Michael Rolette, Jr

Courtney Joseph Spooner

Daniel Wayne Bertram

Andrew B Cornwall

Brian Keith Howe

Janet Roberts Callaway

Randall M George

David Michael Reichek

Jimmie E DeWitt

Denise Ann Morganti

Frederick J Gnuechtel

A method of operating a virtual machine includes determining a virtual machine signature, receiving an execution request from an application, and determining an application signature based on the request. The method further includes validating the application signature to the virtual machine signature and executing the application based on the validation.

Method to provide a secure virtual machine launcher

A method and system for managing Windows desktops in a heterogeneous server environment is provided. A Windows User Profile is generated for a user and associatively stored with desktop information in a datastore on a heterogeneous server. The heterogeneous server may be a non-Windows-based server. The desktop information provides configurability of a desktop of a Windows-based data processing system. The desktop may be a restricted desktop that may be either non-modifiable or only temporarily modifiable by the user for a session on the Windows-based data processing system. The datastore may contain a pair of desktops for a user, in which one of the pair of desktops is a Windows NT desktop and one of the pair of desktops is a Windows 95 desktop or a Windows 98 desktop.

Method and system for managing windows desktops in a heterogeneous server environment

A method for creating and maintaining user home directories and providing for user access across a heterogeneous network of managed servers based on the user account information of the central server. Upon determination that the function of home directories is supported, the target server name is determined and the type of server is extracted from the target server. Based on the server type, appropriate commands are issued to create the necessary directories on the target server. After establishment of the directories, access rights are established to enable the directory to be shared and available to the user through client systems in the network. Connections to the home directory are then made when a request is initiated by the user.

Establishment of user home directories in a heterogeneous network environment

A method of discovering native or non-native authentication server domains and managing information about such domains in a computer network. The various domains are &ldquo;discovered&rdquo; by issuing requests from the client to one or more of the servers in the network. Each response is then characterized as being from a native or non-native server, and a list of each such server type is then compiled at the client. The administrator may modify the list, for example, by adding or removing server domains, or may apply a discovery &ldquo;policy&rdquo; to tailor the way in which a user may access and interact with the discovered information.

Management of authentication discovery policy in a computer network

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for managing registries. A user is detected at a client data processing system, wherein a change has occurred in access for the user. A registry file is sent containing user specific information for the user to the client data processing system. A registry on the client data processing system is updated using the registry file using commands specific to the platform, wherein an updated registry is created including the user specific information. The updated registry is sent to a depository.

Method and apparatus to update a windows registry from a hetrogeneous server

A method for managing user group information in a distributed system comprising a heterogeneous server network. The method enables the establishment of a specified set of user groups on a managed server that are not controlled by a central server. A mechanism is provided to identify the user groups on the managed server, store the groups in a persistent location, and access the user groups during synchronization processing. Synchronization of the persistent user groups at the managed server is done only upon consultation with the persistent account store. The result is a set of user groups on the managed server that can be used to maintain special access and privileges to the persistent user group at the managed server.

Persistent user groups on servers managed by central servers

A method for creating and updating user accounts at a central server that provides for establishment and synchronization of associated user accounts at a heterogeneous network of managed servers based on the user account information of the central server. This enables the network to consist of a heterogeneous set of servers that are executing with the same operating system or subsystem as the central server, and servers that are executing with a different operating system or subsystem as the central server. The updates to the user accounts on the managed servers are synchronized automatically without systems administrator or user intervention. Updates to the user account are based on central server information and can include password changes, initial resource access or other user account attributes.

User account establishment and synchronization in heterogeneous networks

A method for establishing user group accounts in a heterogeneous central server. User groups are established on one type of server that is the central server in the server network which is used to create a corresponding user group account on different types of managed servers in the server network. After establishment of the user group, the server where the initial group was established ensures all group updates, such as change in membership or change in group capabilities are replicated across the server domain. Resources that exist on the network of servers can then have access managed through the usage of user groups. Use and access to the network is more consistent across servers due to ease of management through the use of user groups.

User group synchronization to manage capabilities in heterogeneous networks

A method of creating a user defined alias for a targeted shared resource in heterogeneous server network. The method begins in response to a request by a systems administrator to create an alias at the central server for a targeted shared resource. A determination of the type of targeted server is made. An appropriate request to create or access a directory or resource is created and defined in a central server. Once created in the central server the alias may be updated or deleted by the user on any managed server within a heterogeneous server domain.

Extending alias support to heterogeneous servers

A method for enabling target servers in a network server environment to control determination of a full synchronization update on a target server from a central server. Administrative privileges are used to establish a link on the target server to force a request from the target server back to the central server for initialization of a full synchronization on the target server. The request will be such that the central server will determine full synchronization is necessary based on the status of the managed server.

Enabling target servers to control determination of full user synchronization

A user is authenticated at a client machine running a native operating system. Authentication may be effected from one or more non-native server domains including, without limitation, a Server Message Block (SMB) server domain, a DCE Cell, or some other non-Windows NT server domain. Following successful authentication, a user account is dynamically established or updated at the client by retrieving from the server user information and a set of 'group' privileges associated with the authenticated user. A local representation of these privileges is then dynamically created on the client, after which the privileges are linked to the user account to make the user a member of the local representation. In this manner, the group information is saved on the local machine and the authenticated user is afforded appropriate access rights to the client and the server.

Dynamic creation of a user account in a client following authentication

A method of managing a Windows NT user account at a Windows NT client begins following authentication of a user against a non-native server domain by establishing a Windows NT user account at the client. The Windows NT user account is maintained as work is done at the client by the user. At user logoff, the user account is maintained, disabled or deleted based on policy set on the client by an administrator.

Managing a dynamically-created user account in a client following

A user is authenticated at a client machine running a native operating system. Authentication may be effected from one or more non-native server domains including, without limitation, a Server Message Block (SMB) server domain, a DCE Cell, or some other non-Windows NT server domain. Following successful authentication, a user account is dynamically established or updated at the client by retrieving from the server user information and a set of 'group' privileges associated with the authenticated user. A 'user profile' is retrieved from the non-native server domain and used to establish at the client a user desktop and any preferences associated with the user.

User profile storage on and retrieval from a non-native server domain

A method of authenticating a user of a Windows NT client normally configured against an account held at a Windows NT server. The method begins in response to a logon request at the client. In particular, the user is provided with an option to select a server domain from a set of one or more native Windows NT server domains and/or non-native server domains for authentication. The list of native and/or non-native server domains is compiled by an administrator (e.g., during installation) or by the user (at logon). In response to user selection of the server domain, a connection is then established between the Windows NT client and the server domain. The user is then authenticated at the server domain. Following successful authentication of the Windows NT client at the server domain, a Windows NT user account is then established and maintained at the client.

User authentication from non-native server domains in a computer network

A method of discovering native or non-native authentication server domains in a computer network. The various domains are 'discovered' by issuing requests from the client to one or more of the servers in the network. Each response is then characterized as being from a native or non-native server, and a list of each such server type is then compiled at the client. If desired, the administrator may then apply a discovery 'policy' to tailor the way in which a user may access and interact with the discovered information.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

David Paul Dutcher