Pluggable login architecture and dynamic resource recognition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9253192-B1
Application number	US-201313803068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that generally involve handling logins for a user accessing a plurality of computer resources. In one embodiment, once a user enters login information for a first computer resource, the login information can be stored and/or re-used to access a plurality of other computer resources without the user having to re-enter the login information for each resource. The methods and systems can involve a software framework in communication with various plugins, each plugin including one or more login candidates representing a type of a computer resource. The plugins and/or login candidates can allow the framework to pluggably and dynamically recognize and log into various types of computer resources.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for handling logins for a first user accessing a plurality of computer resources of at least one type, with each computer resource needing to be logged into, across a computer network, comprising:
one or more processors each connected to memory and programmed to provide one or more login candidates, each login candidate representing a type of a computer resource;
the one or more processors further being programmed to:
upon request from the first user for access to a first computer resource across the computer network, find a first login candidate representing the type of the first computer resource;
communicate with the first login candidate to determine login information needed to access the first computer resource;
receive the login information;
apply the login information received to log the first user into the first computer resource;
automatically, without requiring additional user input, acquire a list of one or more computer resources; and
using the login information, automatically, without requiring additional user input, attempt to log into each computer resource in the list having a type for which a corresponding login candidate exists.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the plurality of computer resources are storage devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein all of the computer resources are storage devices.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the list of computer resources is acquired from the first computer resource after logging in.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the list of computer resources is persisted in and acquired from a storage device coupled to the one or more processors.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the login information comprises at least one of a user name, a password, an image of a fingerprint, an account number, and a personal identification number.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to store the login information.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:
upon request from the first user for access to a second computer resource across the computer network, find a second login candidate representing a type of the second computer resource;
communicate with the second login candidate to determine login information needed to access the second computer resource;
if any of the login information needed to access the second computer resource is not already stored by the one or more processors, prompt the first user for any needed and unstored login information; and
apply the login information to log the first user into the second computer resource.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon for handling logins for a first user accessing a plurality of computer resources of at least one type, with each computer resource needing to be logged into, across a computer network, wherein the program instructs one or more processors to:
provide one or more login candidates, each login candidate representing a type of a computer resource;
upon request from the first user for access to a first computer resource across the computer network, find a first login candidate representing the type of the first computer resource;
communicate with the first login candidate to determine login information needed to access the first computer resource;
receive the login information;
apply the login information received to log the first user into the first computer resource;
automatically, without requiring additional user input, acquire a list of one or more computer resources; and
using the login information, automatically, without requiring additional user input, attempt to log into each computer resource in the list having a type for which a corresponding login candidate exists.

10. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein a subset of the plurality of computer resources are storage devices.

11. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein all of the computer resources are storage devices.

12. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the list of computer resources is acquired from the first computer resource after logging in.

13. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the list of computer resources is persisted in and acquired from a storage device coupled to the one or more processors.

14. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the login information comprises at least one of a user name, a password, an image of a fingerprint, an account number, and a personal identification number.

15. The storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the program further instructs the one or more processors to store the login information.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the program further instructs the one or more processors to:
upon request from the first user for access to a second computer resource across the computer network, find a second login candidate representing a type of the second computer resource;
communicate with the second login candidate to determine login information needed to access the second computer resource;
if any of the login information needed to access the second computer resource is not already stored by the one or more processors, prompt the first user for any needed and unstored login information; and
apply the login information to log the first user into the second computer resource.

Assignees

• Emc Corp

Inventors

• Takkallapally Anirudh
• Joyce Scott
• Rabe Bruce
• Desai Munish

Classifications

• G06F21/41 Primary

  where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers · CPC title

• H04L63/10 Primary

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title

• H04L63/0815

  providing single-sign-on or federations · CPC title

• H04L67/1097

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title