Patent ID: 7912822

Claim:
An access system providing access for clients in a computer network to resources stored in said network, said system comprising: an instance of a file stored in at least one of a server and a client in said network; an instance of an application that uses said file, said application operating on said client and said server; an authentication module in said client providing instructions to a microprocessor in said client operating to provide access to a directory structure stored on a server in said network using Active Directory (AD) protocols to authenticate said client with said server; an access module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to provide said client with communication access to said server and to provide secure access using a secure gateway tunnel to said application that uses said file using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) commands; a first module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to generate a first icon associated with said file and a second icon associated with said application in a graphical user interface (GUI) on said client; and a second module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to monitor for activation of said first icon at said client; to initiate execution of said application either on said client or said server for said client depending on whether said application is to be accessed on said client first or said server first and to cause said application to access said file through either said client or said server depending on whether said file is to be accessed on either said client first or said server first; to update a registry containing activation information on said application, said registry being accessible by other processes operating on devices in said network; and to initiate an access of said application on said client after attempting to access said application on said server, if said server is not accessible, wherein said client provides a terminal-based environment for accessing said application that uses said file in the network through said RDP commands.