Patent ID: 8346926
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling access to a plurality of content units stored on at least one object addressable storage (OAS) system, wherein each of the plurality of user content units is accessible from the OAS system using an object identifier, a first user of the at least one OAS system being granted access privileges to a first content unit stored on the at least one OAS system, the at least one OAS system storing a first security content unit for the first user, wherein the security content unit for the first user stores authentication information for only the first user and an identity list that includes information identifying other users who have been granted access privileges to the first content unit, wherein the first security content unit is identifiable on the at least one OAS system via a first object identifier, wherein the at least one OAS system stores a second security content unit for at least one second user of the at least one OAS system, wherein the second security content unit is identifiable on the at least one OAS system via a second object identifier, and wherein the method comprises an act, performed by the first user, of: identifying to the OAS system the at least one second user as being a user to whom the first user grants privileges to access the first content unit, wherein the OAS system provides an OAS interface for receiving an access request from a host computer to retrieve at least one of the plurality of content units and for receiving an access request from the host computer to store an additional content unit on the OAS system, wherein the access request to retrieve the at least one of the plurality of content units identifies the at least one of the plurality of content units using the object identifier for the at least one of the plurality of content units, and wherein, from the perspective of an issuer of the access request to retrieve the at least one of the plurality of content units, the object identifier for the at least one of the plurality of content units does not control where the at least one of the plurality of content units is logically or physically stored on the OAS system, and wherein the act of identifying the at least one second user to the OAS system comprises providing information usable by the OAS system to determine the second object identifier.