WO2001063394A2

WO2001063394A2 - Method for making the contents of data carriers available in a computer network

Info

Publication number: WO2001063394A2
Application number: PCT/EP2001/002021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Axel Urbanski
Original assignee: Axel Urbanski
Priority date: 2000-02-22
Filing date: 2001-02-22
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Also published as: DE10008144A1; WO2001063394A3; AU4065101A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for making the contents of data carriers, especially exchangeable media and storage media, available in computer networks. The method is used for making the contents of these data carriers, for example CDs, diskettes or similar, available in a computer network more rapidly than has so far been possible. To this end, the contents of the data carriers are copied into a fixed-disk storage device (3) as an image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d), in block form. The time-consuming process of reading-in by file or directory is no longer necessary.

Description

Process for providing content from data carriers in one

Computer network

The invention relates to a method for providing data in a computer network.

Contents of data carriers, for example from removable media, are required in various forms in computer networks. Removable media include floppy disks, compact ^disc's (CD), removable disks, Zip disks, ^DVD's, magneto-optical drives, and magnetic tapes. Other storage media, ie not actually "removable media", are hard disks, for example. In the future, further technologies in the field of removable media and other storage media are to be expected, so that others will still be considered. Removable media and storage media are often referred to as data carriers and the devices for your business are summarized under the term "drives" (English "Drive"). While hard disks simultaneously represent data carriers and their own drive, these terms differ, for example, with floppy disks and floppy disk drives.

These removable media are bought in by the operator of the computer networks, for example for databases. The data from these removable media is accessed by the computer networks as part of their work.

This creates problems. For example, in CD servers for small quantities of ^CD's used a drive for each CD made available. Depending on the CD currently required by the computer network, this can be accessed by accessing the corresponding drive. Even with medium CD volumes, such a device with a corresponding number of drives easily takes on considerable spatial dimensions. For larger quantities of CD ^' s therefore CD removable drives are used. This means that different CD ^{'s have} to be fed to a drive by more or less complicated mechanical devices.

BESTATIGUNGSKOPIE sen. This can not all these ^CD's are accessed simultaneously, because they have so each will only be inserted. When changing the CD, depending on the design, waiting times can be between 2 and 20 seconds. This is of course a considerable disadvantage for other IT standards. In addition, several users can work in such a computer network and additional and further disruptions and delays can occur as a result. In addition, the maximum data transfer rate during operation is limited to CD speed.

The data transfer rate drops sharply if more than one user accesses the same CD. CD drives take a lot of time to change lanes.

In addition, there are data carriers that do not or only partially provide the data in a file system. These include, for example, audio ^CDs, video ^CDs and ^DVD's. The data from these data carriers cannot currently be provided with conventional network servers. The same applies to data carriers whose file system is unknown to the network server or whose content is encrypted.

The frequently complicated exchange mechanisms can damage both the removable medium and the mechanism. Floppy disks or magnetic tapes etc. wear out. Even a backup of each ^CD's against fire or theft is hardly possible.

DE 296 20 090 U1 shows an example of a CD-Rom server with several drives, 6 CD-Rom drives being accommodated in a common housing. WO 95/00910 shows a computer network with a multiplicity of stations in which the contents of removable media can be accessed. It is also about CD Roms. The content of these CD Roms is stored in access tables and can therefore be queried by a file server. The advantage of this concept is that the different parts of the network can be accommodated in very different rooms, which can be subject to different security levels. This means that the removable media can be exchanged easily and can be exchanged by practically any user while the central computer system is not exposed to such access. The workstations themselves are in turn located in other locations and do not have removable media and the associated disadvantages.

Although a network according to WO 95/00910 already enables improved access to the individual removable media, these removable media still have to be loaded into the stations when they are accessed. Until then, they have only been defined as "volumes".

A comparable access control is also shown in EP 0 491 463 A2. Here, too, an attempt is made to accelerate the exchange of the removable media, if necessary, by reducing the access times by a particularly skillful control of removable media operating stations.

EP 0 374 132 A2 shows a further network for connecting terminals and other consumers on the one hand and service stations on the other, which also include the readers for removable media. Here too, the aim is to control the individual elements as quickly as possible.

WO 98/52333 also discusses a network which has several stations with removable media. Here a method is proposed in which two such stations can work together without interference even over a greater distance. However, none of the known devices can work with data carriers which have no file system or at least an unknown file system.

The object of the invention is to propose a method for providing data in a computer network which can work with such data carriers.

This object is achieved by a method in which

Data from a data carrier in a drive (1a, 1b) is copied completely and sector by sector as an image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) to a hard disk (3) in a server system, a drive emulator (6) is provided, which is the drive (1 a, 1 b) and its functions for the image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the

Data carrier emulated, - a drive server (7a) is provided, which with the

Drive emulator (6) communicates with and via a network protocol

Communicates with the client (14, 17), communicating with the client (14, 17) in such a way that the commands and data are transferred to the interface of the client (14, 17) which is necessary for the local drive in the client (14, 17 ) is provided.

The problem is solved with such a method.

The actual work of the client now takes place with the image files, which are in particular on a hard disk. This hard disk does not necessarily have to be in or on the client or computer that now wants to access the image files. They can be arranged in a server, in another computer of the server system or else separately, provided that accessibility is guaranteed via the network. The entire contents of a removable medium are copied completely to the hard disk as a block. A complete image of all sectors and / or clusters and / or pseudo sectors of the data carrier is created. This block is called an image file. This process differs significantly from the usual file-wise reading of the removable media content on a hard disk memory. According to the invention, a pure copying process is carried out, which is much faster than reading in files.

In a way, virtual disks are created in the area of the hard disk. The virtual disks become virtual drives through the drive emulator. These are made available to the network and the client via the drive server.

The file system of the content of the removable media can be unknown or encrypted, or it may not exist. Mixed content can also be provided, some of which have a file system, while other parts of the content have no file system. This is for example in ^photo-CD's or MixMode CD ^'s the case.

The method according to the invention enables simultaneous access to all data carriers that are made available. There are no change times during the actual work. Each disk only has to be copied to the hard disk once. The process requires only one drive because the ^CD's or other media can be read sequentially. The space requirement is small, even with large amounts of data carrier content.

The removable media or other storage media, i.e. the data carriers themselves, are no longer required during the actual work process. As a rule, they do not remain in the drives and can, for example, be secured in a safe. Several users can access the content of a data carrier at the same time without significantly reducing the data transfer rate.

This data transfer rate is no longer limited by the real drives for the removable media, but by the network technology and the hard drives used. Hard drives have higher data transfer rates and significantly shorter access times than drives for removable media.

The real and virtual drives are accessed directly via the network. The method provides a client computer with virtual drives on the server that behave like real local drives.

A drive emulator enables access to the data. The drive emulator emulates the functions of a real drive and its electronics.

The drive emulator can be part of an operating system. It can be created by redirecting the data in the operating system. The data from the image file is fed into the drivers for the file system of the operating system in such a way that the operating system assumes that the data comes from a drive.

To implement the method, there must be at least one reader for the removable medium or other storage medium, that is to say the data carrier, and also at least one hard disk for storing the content of the data carrier. Of course, a computer is also required. A network card or a suitable adapter for the desired network is required for connection to the computer network.

It is preferably provided that the image file and its contents are copied from the hard disk memory in block form to the removable medium via a writing device. This writing also leads to a copy that can be produced much more quickly. The image file can also be patched before or during the copying process. Under "patching" minor changes are understood to an object in this way it is possible to have multiple -. To create removable media types, such as ^CD's, which are distinguished by the name of its owner - possibly very many.

The process enables the construction of data servers. These consist of one or more computers (servers). The functions can be distributed to different computers. This makes it possible to integrate reading and / or writing on separate computers. It is also possible to set up data servers for different data carriers in one server. The method is preferably used on computers with an operating system. It is possible to integrate disk servers into existing servers.

In an alternative embodiment, the concept of the invention also includes the possibility of not copying the image file from an actually existing data carrier, but also of creating this image file in an original manner based on such an image.

The mode of operation of the method will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for performing the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a reading drive 1a, for example a CD-ROM drive. As an alternative or in addition, a write and read drive 1 b is also provided, for example a diskette station. The removable media (not shown) with data on them are located in these drives. The data are usually stored in small blocks, for example in sectors and / or clusters and / or pseudo sectors.

A module 2a is also shown, which takes over control of the reading in of data from the data carrier, that is to say the removable medium in the example. Correspondingly, 2b is a write and read module.

A further central area is the hard disk 3. Several hard disks 3 can also be provided.

The data are now read from the removable media in the drives 1 a and 1 b by means of the modules 2a and 2b and copied to the hard disk 3. This copying is done in blocks. The type of blocks depends on the respective data carrier, usually sectors and / or clusters. The content of the data carrier is stored in an image file and contains all sectors and / or clusters and / or pseudo sectors of the data carrier.

The image files are made available via a file system 5. The reading or copying of the contents of the removable media is initiated and monitored by the modules 2a and 2b. All of the data that was previously on the removable media can now be found in the image files 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. Information about the data carriers themselves and their contents is provided for the control software of the system.

One or more drive emulators 6 are also provided. These work with the image files 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. The drive emulator 6 emulates or, in other words, simulates a real drive and its functions for the respective data carrier. This creates virtual drives.

The image files can also be saved in a compressed space-saving manner. In this case, the drive emulator 6 additionally takes on the task of decompressing or compressing the image file if necessary.

The image files 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can also be stored in encrypted form. In these cases, the drive emulator 6 can then additionally take on the task of encrypting and decrypting the image files if necessary. If necessary, a client 14 can also encrypt and decrypt the data.

The drive emulator or one of the drive emulators 6 can access another image file 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, ... at the instigation of the control software. It is therefore possible to change the data carrier in a virtual drive.

A computer network is only indicated here by reference number 11. In simple terms, the computer network represents the transmission medium and consists of cables, interfaces, etc. In order to be able to transport the data through the computer network, the drive server 7a is used. A file server 7b is used to transport the image files and other files and directories. It can be one or more file servers. Fileservers for different types of Computer networks 11 for Novell networks, Windows networks, Unix networks, Apple networks and also other and newer network technologies. Other servers can also be used as replacements or supplements, for example web servers or FTP servers.

A control software 9a and a control server 9b are shown in FIG. Several control servers 9b are also conceivable. The control software 9a and the control server 9b enable remote administration of the server 10. However, administration on the system itself can also be made possible.

The server 10 is controlled via the control software 9a. This software manages users, user rights, disk space, virtual changing of the data carrier, etc. It initiates reading and writing. The control software regulates the interaction of modules 2a and 2b and other software parts. In server systems consisting of several computers, load distribution is one of the tasks of the control software 9a.

The control server or control servers 9b provide the user interface. Standard servers, web servers, Telnet or similar servers can be used for this.

The control software 9a and the control server (s) 9b can form one unit. The control software 9a and the read and / or write modules 2a and 2b can form a unit. The drive emulator 6 and the drive server 7a can form one unit. Control information 8a connects the control software 9a and the modules 2a, 2b, the read and write-read drives 1a, 1b, the drive emulator (s) 6 and the drive server (s) 7a. In addition, control information 8b connects the drive server (s) 7a and the read and write read drives 1a, 1b to one another.

The write drives 1b and write modules 2b are not absolutely necessary for the operation of the server, since there are some removable media drives and their data carriers that cannot be written on, for example CD and DVD. However, an expansion is possible with these write drives and write modules. The write module prepares the removable medium for writing. The image files contain the sectors and / or clusters and / or pseudo sectors to be written. The image files are created by reading in or have been copied from the network.

The content of the data carrier can be checked for correctness by reading it again. The user is then notified and the data carrier is released. If possible, it can also be ejected from drive 1b.

In addition to the server 10 and the network 11, further components of FIG. 1 show the client 14 as a third area. This client 14 is constructed in software and has an operating system 13 and a driver 12. The framework for the software client 14 is only indicated. It is part of any computer with a network connection. It can also be other devices with a network connection, for example a printer with a network connection. A driver 12 for the server 10 can be part of an operating system 13 or can be loaded into the operating system 13.

Driver 12 replaces or supplements the driver for client 14's local drives.

The operating system 13 routes data and commands for local drives through drivers. If the data and commands for local drives are passed through the driver 12 for the server 10, simulated local drives are created in the client 14.

The execution of the specific driver 12 for the server 10 depends on the operating system of the client 14. Finally, a frame for hardware clients 17 is indicated as the fourth area in FIG. It is part of any computer hardware. A “network to drive” interface converter 15 is connected to the drive interface 16 of a computer. The client 17 thus has an interface converter 15 and an interface 16.

The interface converter 15 replaces or supplements the local drives of the client 17.

The interface converter 15 consists of at least one small computer or other suitable electronics with at least one interface for the drive interface of the computer 16 and with at least one network connection.

The small computer or electronics in the interface converter 15 converts the data and commands from the drive interface of the computer 16 into data and commands that match the network and the server 10.

The small computer or the electronics in the interface converter 15 converts the data and commands from the network from the server 10 into suitable data and commands from the drive interface of the computer 16.

A local drive is thus simulated for the hardware and software of the hardware client 17.

The communication between a software client 14 and the server 10 proceeds as follows:

The driver 12 for the server 10 receives the commands and data from the operating system 13 or receives them from the driver for the drives. The

Driver 12 for the server 10 now transmits the commands and to the drive server 7a by means of a suitable network protocol via the network 11 Data. Due to the driver 12 for the server 10, the simulated local drive behaves like a locally installed hardware drive.

The drive server 7a receives the commands and data from the network via the network protocol and forwards them to the corresponding drives. It can be read drives 1 a, read write drives 1 b or the drive emulator (s). The response data and commands from the read drive 1 a, read / write drive 1 b or the drive emulator 6 are transmitted by the drive server 7a to the requesting software client 14 via the network 11 using a suitable network protocol.

The software client 14 uses the driver 12 to receive the response data and commands for the server 10 and forwards them to the operating system 13. The operating system 13 should not differ from the real local drive.

The communication between a hardware client 17 and the server 10 proceeds as follows:

Commands and data are transmitted to the drive interface 16 from the hardware of the computer of the hardware client 17. The network to drive interface converter 15 now transmits these commands and data to the drive server 7a by means of a suitable network protocol via the network 11.

The drive server 7a receives the commands and data from the network via the network protocol and forwards them to the corresponding drives. It can be read drives 1 a, read write drives 1 b or the drive emulator (s). The response data and commands from the read drive 1a, read / write drive 1b or the drive emulator 6 are transmitted by the drive server 7a to the requesting hardware client 17 via the network 11 using a suitable network protocol. The hardware client 17 receives the response data and commands with the aid of the “network to drive” interface converter 15 and forwards them to the drive interface 16.

For the hardware of the computer of the hardware client 17 there is no difference to the real local drive. The "network to drive" interface converter 15 behaves like a locally installed hardware drive.

The described method can also be combined with other methods.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

a Reading drive b Writing and reading drive a Module b Module

Hard disk a Image file b Image file c Image file d Image file

file system

Drive emulator a Drive server b File server a Control information b Control information a Control software b Control server 0 Server 1 Computer network 2 Driver for server 10 3 Operating system 4 Client 5 Network to drive interface converter 6 Drive interface of the computer 7 Hardware client

Claims

Patent claims

1. A method of providing data on a computer network in which

Data from a data carrier in a drive (1a, 1b) is copied completely and sector by sector as an image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) to a hard disk (3) in a server system, a drive emulator (6) is provided, which the drive ( 1 a, 1 b) and its functions for the image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the data carrier, a drive server (7a) is provided which communicates with the drive emulator (6) and uses a network protocol

2. A method for providing data in a computer network, in which an image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) is completely and sector-wise stored on a hard disk (3) in a server system as an image of a data carrier, - a drive emulator (6) is provided is which emulates the drive (1a, 1b) and its functions for the image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the data carrier, a drive server (7a) is provided which communicates with the drive emulator (6) and via a network protocol communicates with clients (14, 17), communicating with clients (14, 17) in such a way that the commands and data are transferred to the interface of the client (14, 17) which are necessary for the local drive in the client (14, 17 17) is provided.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive emulator (s) (6) with changing image files (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) can be connected.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contents of the hard disk memory (3) as an image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) are copied in block form via a writing device (2b) on the removable medium.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the image file (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) is patched before or during copying in order to generate several variants of the data carrier.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more of the image files (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) is encrypted.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the encryption is carried out in the client (14, 17).