Patent ID: 8180812

Claim:
A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising: obtaining a first template to apply to one or more shares for configuring the one or more shares, the one or more shares including one or more file system objects, the first template including one or more policies, and a reference to a second template for use in conjunction with configuring the one or more shares, the one or more policies being indicated by one or more properties of the first template, the one or more policies including at least one policy having data that is opaque to a first component but understood by a second component; the first component passing the data that is opaque to the first component to the second component for interpretation, wherein the second component applies the first template to the one or more shares; receiving an indication of at least one share of the one or more shares to which the first template is to be applied; applying the first template to configure the at least one share in accordance with the one or more policies; and automatically re-configuring the at least one share when one or more changes occur in the first template, or in any other template that the first template references, or in any other template on which the first template depends.