Abstract: A method for file synchronization during an operating system boot sequence between a client and a server. Upon initiation of the boot sequence, a mini file system driver is downloaded to the client. The mini file system driver is used to download the full operating system kernel. During a first phase of the boot sequence, file data and information for managing the file data generated by a first file system driver is cached. Upon initialization of the operating system, i.e. during a subsequent phase of the boot sequence, a second file system inherits the file data and information from the first file system driver. The second file system unloads the first file system driver and updates the data files.

Abstract: Persistent network connections created by the inventive mechanism survive logoff and persist across logon. A persistent connection is created when a network connection is established (or when an existing connection is modified) using a simple command line or GUI interface. Information supplied via the interface enables the mechanism to establish, dynamically, a different security context for each given persistent connection, and this security context is “flexible” in that it may differ from the user's logon id and password. If a user were currently authenticated for a given persistent network connection before a network failure, the user, upon connect, is allowed access to the network connection without requiring further authentication.

Abstract: LAN server machines are configured to utilize their existing mechanisms to pass generic security subsystem (GSS) distributed computing environment (DCE) credentials. The server management block (SMB) protocol is extended to facilitate exchange of such credentials wherein the server utilizes the GSS API interface to obtain and validate such credentials. The GSS interface provides tokens which encapsulate all necessary information to perform mutual authentication between the client and server. A new protocol level is defined with respect to such SMB protocol extensions which includes a new protocol name exchanged in the negotiate protocol (NP) SMB. Pre-existing LAN servers will turn on a bit in the SMB.sub.-- Secmode field in the NP response indicating that the server supports exchange of secpkgX SMB. The server will then wait for an SMB secpkgX or SMB sesssetupX response.