Allocation and reassignment of unique identifiers for synchronization of content items

• US 10,671,638 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Isaac, Lai, John, Jayakar, Sujay
• Primary Examiner(s): Arjomandi, Noosha
• Application Number:
  US15/870,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20190208014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/04 Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/119 Details of migration of file systems migration mechanisms in storage systems G06F3/0647
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/152 using file content signatures, e.g. hash values
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 : using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 : Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1767 : Concurrency control, e.g. optimistic or pessimistic approaches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 : Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 : Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/18 : File system types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 : Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 : Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 : Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 : implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 : Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 : Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2246 : Trees, e.g. B+trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2255 : Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 : using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 : Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 : Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 : Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 : Database cache management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 : Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 : Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 : Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 : Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 : using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 : Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 : Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 : Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 : to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 : Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 : Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 : Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 : in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 : in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 : Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 : Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0652 : Erasing, e.g. deleting, data cleaning, moving of data to a wastebasket
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 : Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 : Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 : using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures

Abstract

A client can allocate identifiers to local content items and ensure the identifiers are unique at a content management system. For example, a client can add a first content item at a first path and determine the first content item does not have a first unique identifier. The client can determine that a second content item at a second path was previously associated with the first path and determine that the first content item should inherit a second unique identifier from the second content item. The client can then assign the second unique identifier to the first content item and add a node representing the first content item to a local tree representing a local state of content items at the client, the node including the second unique identifier. The client can also upload the first content item with the second unique identifier to the content management system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

adding a first content item at a first path on a client device, the first content item being associated with a user account at a content management system, wherein the first content item, when added at the first path on the client device, does not include any unique identifiers from the content management system that uniquely identify the first content item from other content items stored on the content management system;

determining the first content item does not have a first unique identifier from the content management system, the client application being associated with the content management system;

determining a second content item at a second path was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item;

in response to determining the second content item was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item, determining to allow the first content item to inherit a second unique identifier from the second content item;

in response to determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item, assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item;

adding a node representing the first content item to a local tree at the client device, the node comprising the second unique identifier and the local tree representing a local state of content items at the client device; and

uploading the first content item with the second unique identifier to the content management system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the content management system, a request to verify a uniqueness of the second unique identifier at the content management system, the request being sent prior to at least one of assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item or adding the node representing the first content item to the local tree; and

based on the request, determining the second unique identifier is verifiably unique at the content management system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content item was previously located at the first path prior to at least one of a move, a delete, or a rename of the second content item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the second content item was previously associated with the first path is based on at least one of metadata associated with the second content item or revision information associated with the second content item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item comprises comparing first metadata associated with the first content item with second metadata associated with the second content item, the first metadata and second metadata comprising at least one of a respective path, a respective content item name, or a respective namespace identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item comprises reassigning the second unique identifier from the second content item.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein reassigning the second unique identifier to the first content item comprises extracting the second unique identifier from the second content item and appending the second unique identifier to the first content item as an extended attribute.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second unique identifier comprises a respective unique identifier generated by the content management system and assigned to the second content item by the content management system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item comprises writing the second unique identifier to the first content item as an extended attribute of the first content item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item comprises:

identifying the first path associated with the first content item;

determining a previous path associated with the second content item matches the first path associated with the first content item;

determining the first content item comprises a version of the second content item being resurrected or moved to the first path associated with the first content item; and

based on determining the first content item comprises the version of the second content item, determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a client device to:

add a first content item at a first path on the client device, the first content item being associated with a user account at a content management system, wherein the first content item, when added at the first path on the client device, does not include any unique identifiers from the content management system that uniquely identify the first content item from other content items stored on the content management system;

determine the first content item does not have a first unique identifier from the content management system;

determine a second content item at a second path was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item;

in response to determining the second content item was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item, determine to allow the first content item to inherit a second unique identifier from the second content item;

in response to determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item, assign the second unique identifier to the first content item;

add a node representing the first content item to a local tree at the client device, the node comprising the second unique identifier and the local tree representing a local state of content items at the client device; and

upload the first content item with the second unique identifier to the content management system.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to:

send, to the content management system, a request to verify a uniqueness of the second unique identifier at the content management system, the request being sent prior to at least one of assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item or adding the node representing the first content item to the local tree; and

based on the request, determine the second unique identifier is verifiably unique at the content management system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the second content item was previously located at the first path prior to at least one of a move, a delete, or a rename of the second content item.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein determining the second content item was previously associated with the first path is based on at least one of metadata associated with the second content item or revision information associated with the second content item.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item comprises comparing first metadata associated with the first content item with second metadata associated with the second content item, the first metadata and second metadata comprising at least one of a respective path, a respective content item name, or a respective namespace identifier.

16. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

add a first content item at a first path on the computing device, the content item being associated with a user account at a content management system, wherein the first content item, when added at the first path on the client device, does not include any unique identifiers from the content management system that uniquely identify the first content item from other content items stored on the content management system;

determine the first content item does not have a first unique identifier from the content management system;

determine a second content item at a second path was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item;

in response to determining the second content item was previously associated with the first path corresponding to the first content item, determine to allow the first content item to inherit a second unique identifier from the second content item;

in response to determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item, assign the second unique identifier to the first content item;

add a node representing the first content item to a local tree at the computing device, the node comprising the second unique identifier and the local tree representing a local state of content items at the computing device; and

upload the first content item with the second unique identifier to the content management system.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item comprises reassigning the second unique identifier from the second content item, wherein the reassigning comprises extracting the second unique identifier from the second content item and appending the second unique identifier to the first content item.

18. The computing device of claim 16, wherein determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item comprises:

identifying the first path associated with the first content item;

determining a previous path associated with the second content item matches the first path associated with the first content item;

determining the first content item comprises a version of the second content item being resurrected or moved to the first path associated with the first content item; and

based on determining the first content item comprises the version of the second content item, determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item.

19. The computing device of claim 16, storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:

send, to the content management system, a request to verify a uniqueness of the second unique identifier at the content management system, the request being sent prior to at least one of assigning the second unique identifier to the first content item or adding the node representing the first content item to the local tree; and

based on the request, determine that the second unique identifier is verifiably unique at the content management system.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein determining to allow the first content item to inherit the second unique identifier from the second content item comprises comparing first metadata associated with the first content item with second metadata associated with the second content item, the first metadata and second metadata comprising at least one of a respective path, a respective content item name, or a respective namespace identifier.