Patent ID: 7673012

Claim:
A real file server functioning as a plurality of virtual file servers coupled to a plurality of client computers, comprising: a processor configuring a first virtual file server configured by a processor on which one operating system executes file system processes for the first virtual file server, the first virtual file server being configured to receive a file access request from a first one of the client computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to the first virtual file server and respond to the file access request; a first mount table for the first virtual file server; a second virtual file server configured by the processor, said processor further executing file system processes for the second virtual file server, the second virtual file server being configured to receive a file access request from a second one of the client computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to the second virtual file server; a second mount table for the second virtual file server; and an apparatus manager for managing said virtual file servers that generates and deletes said virtual file servers and controls to allocate said at least one storage device, wherein said processor controls sending data to each of said plurality of client computers based on a routing table indicating destination information and routing information, the routing table being set with respect to each virtual file server, the apparatus manager is configured to create the first mount table and the second mount table, the first virtual file server is configured to update the first mount table, and the second virtual file server is configured to update the second mount table, a storage device that includes a file system mounted on a root directory of the corresponding virtual file server, and the apparatus manager returning an error when creating the respective mount tables if an access right of the storage device that includes a file system mounted on a root directory of the corresponding virtual file server is not permitted.