Abstract: A storage server maintains a number of datasets (e.g., exported file systems or other resources). For each dataset, certain clients are allowed to have access (e.g., read access, write access, root access, etc.) and certain other clients are not allowed to have access. Access permission information is maintained to specify which clients are allowed to have access and what kind of access. A method and system are introduced to use a radix tree to store access permission information in a cache, therefore allowing the storage server to quickly retrieve access information relevant to a particular client. One advantage of using radix tree to maintain access permission information is that radix tree is very efficient at storing hierarchical information, such as IP addresses. Radix tree is also very efficient at representing subnets in particular.

Abstract: An across firewall communication system and method is used with a conventional firewall positioned between a conventional intranet and an outside network, such as the public Internet. The across firewall communication system provides enhanced communication between one or more inside devices on the intranet and one or more outside devices on the outside network. The across firewall communication system addresses issues commonly raised in today's Internet environment where some devices attempt to communicate with other devices that are isolated behind firewalls and network address translators (NATs).