Patent ID: 7562216

Claim:
A system, comprising: a storage device configured to store file system content items including a plurality of files and metadata records associated with said files, wherein each of said files is associated with a respective file identity; a file system configured to manage application accesses to said storage device, to store said file system content items to said storage device, and to implement a first security model, wherein said first security model is configured to control access to said file system content items, wherein said file system is further configured to implement a file system application programming interface (API), wherein said file system API is configured to receive a request from an application distinct from said file system to access one or more particular ones of said plurality of files, wherein said request is dependent upon respective file identities of said one or more particular files; a query system configured to query said file system content items in response to receiving, via a query API, a query directed to said file system content items from said application, wherein said query is formulated in a query language, wherein to query said file system content items, said query system is further configured to evaluate said query, and wherein said query system is distinct from said file system; and security mapping functionality configured to apply said first security model to said query system such that application accesses to said file system content via said query API occur dependent upon security information included in said first security model.