Patent ID: 8239966
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for determining whether a security configuration state of a file server has changed, comprising: an apparatus receiving, from the file server over a communications network, first security state data that describes a first configuration state of the file server and includes a first set of one or more security settings values that indicate a first security state of the file server, wherein the file server is separate from the apparatus and one or more other apparatuses and communicates with the apparatus and the one or more other apparatuses over the communications network; in response to receiving a request, from a requestor, to verify that a configuration state of the file server has not changed from the first configuration state, the apparatus sending a request over the communications network to the file server for second security state data that describes a second configuration state of the file server and includes a second set of one or more security settings values that indicate a second security state of the file server; the apparatus receiving, from the file server over the communications network, the second security state data, wherein the second security state data is received subsequent to the receipt of the first security state data; the apparatus comparing the first set of one or more security settings values to the second set of one or more security settings values to determine whether the first security state of the file server and the second security state of the file server correspond to a same security state of the file server; and the apparatus transmitting, to the requestor, a message indicating whether the security configuration state of the file server has changed from the first configuration state of the file server based on the comparison of the first set of one or more security settings values to the second set of one or more security settings values.