Data synchronization protocol

• US 7,747,784 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McCarthy, Brendan A., Guenther, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/042,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 709/248, 709/227, 709/228, 709/219, 709/223, 709/202
• US Class Current: 709/248
• 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: 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]

Abstract

Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for syncing data between a client device and a server. Synchronizing data includes initiating a sync session by negotiating a sync mode between a client device and a server for each of one or more dataclasses. A status code is generated based on a result of the negotiating. Based on the generated status code, the client device and the server exchanges one or more data items to be updated for the one or more dataclasses using the negotiated sync mode for each dataclass. The exchanged one or more data items are updated at the client device or the server The updated one or more data items are committed at the client or the server.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a request to initiate a sync session, comprising

receiving a separate proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses in parallel, and

receiving changes to the multiple dataclasses;

generating, at the server, one or more status codes to indicate whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass is accepted;

based on the generated status code, using the accepted sync mode for each dataclass to selectively update data items associated with the one or more changes to the multiple dataclasses in parallel; and

selectively committing the updated data items at the server when receiving a command to commit the undated data items from a client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the one or more status codes comprises accessing information saved from a previous sync session to determine whether to use the proposed sync mode to synchronize the data items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode, a slow sync mode or a reset sync mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the request comprises receiving the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode that enables exchange of data items to be updated only.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising reaccepting the fast sync mode after the sync session is interrupted.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising completing the sync session in one round trip that includes two messages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises:

receiving the proposed sync mode and the changes to the dataclasses in a single message from a client device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rejecting the proposed sync mode; and

responding to the request with a different sync mode.

9. A computer program product, embodied on a computer readable storage medium, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to initiate a sync session, comprising

receiving a separate proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses in parallel, and

receiving changes to the dataclasses;

generating at least one status code to indicate whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass is accepted;

based on the generated status code, using the accepted sync mode for each dataclass to selectively update data items associated with the changes to the dataclasses in parallel; and

selectively committing the updated data items at a data repository when receiving a command to commit the undated data items from a client device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to access information saved from a previous sync session to generate the one or more status codes.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to receive the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode, a slow sync mode or a reset sync mode.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to receive the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode that enables exchange of data items to be updated only.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising reinitiating a fast sync mode when the sync session is interrupted.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to complete the sync session in one round trip that includes two messages.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to

receive the proposed sync mode and the changes to the dataclasses in a single message from a client device.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

reject the proposed sync mode; and

respond to the request with a different sync mode.

17. A synchronization server comprising:

a processor configured to operate

a transport protocol that enables opening of one or more connections to one or more client devices; and

a sync protocol that enables data synchronization between the server and the one or more client devices over the opened one or more connections, wherein the sync protocol enables the server to

receive a request to initiate a sync session, wherein the request includes a separate proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses received in parallel, and

changes to the multiple dataclasses,

generate one or more status codes to indicate whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass is accepted,

based on the generated status code, using the accepted sync mode for each dataclass to selectively update data items associated with the changes to the data classes, and

selectively commit the updated data items when receiving a command to commit the undated data items from one of the one or more client devices.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to access a data repository to update the data items based on the received changes.

19. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to accept or reject the proposed sync mode for each dataclass based on information saved from a previous sync session.

20. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to receive the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode, a slow sync mode or a reset sync mode.

21. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to receive the proposed sync mode that includes a fast sync mode that enables the one or more client devices to send data items to be updated only.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to receive request to reinitiate a fast sync when the sync session is interrupted.

23. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to complete the sync session in one round trip that includes two messages.

24. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to receive the proposed sync mode and the one or more changes to the one or more dataclasses in a single message from at least one of the one or more client devices.

25. The server of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to

rejecting the proposed sync mode;

and

responding to the request with a different sync mode.

26. A method of synchronizing data, the method comprising:

sending, from a client device, a request to a server to initiate a sync session, comprising

sending a proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses in parallel, and

sending one or more changes to the dataclasses;

receiving, at the client device, one or more status codes indicative of whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass has been accepted by the server;

sending, from the client device, a command to the server to commit changes to data items associated with the one or more changes to the dataclasses;

based on the received status code, using the accepted sync mode to receive from the server additional changes to the dataclasses; and

committing, at client device, the additional changes received from the server.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving the one or more status codes that indicate that the proposed sync mode for at least one of the data classes has been rejected by the server; and

sending another request that includes a different sync mode than the rejected sync mode.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

sending the proposed sync mode and the one or more changes in a single message to the server.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein sending the proposed sync mode for the dataclasses in parallel comprises sending a different proposed sync mode for at least two of the dataclasses in parallel.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein sending a different proposed sync modes for at least two of the dataclasses in parallel comprises sending a proposed fast sync mode for one of the dataclasses and a proposed slow sync mode for another of the dataclasses.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising reinitiating the sync session using the accepted sync protocol after the sync session is interrupted.

32. A computer program product, embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform one or more operations comprising:

sending a request to a server to initiate a sync session, comprising

sending a separate proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses in parallel, and

sending one or more changes to the dataclasses;

receiving one or more status codes indicative of whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass has been accepted by the server;

sending a command to the server to commit changes to data items associated with the one or more changes to the dataclasses;

based on the received status code, using the accepted sync mode to receive from the server additional changes to the dataclasses; and

committing, at the data processing apparatus, the additional changes received from the server.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving the one or more status codes that indicate that the proposed sync mode for at least one of the dataclasses has been rejected by the server; and

sending another request that includes a different sync mode than the rejected sync mode.

34. The computer program product of claim 32, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to send the proposed sync mode and the one or more changes in a single message to the server.

35. The computer program product of claim 32, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to send a different proposed sync mode for at least two of the dataclasses in parallel.

36. The computer program product of claim 32, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to send a proposed fast sync mode for one of the dataclasses and a proposed slow sync mode for another of the dataclasses.

37. The computer program product of claim 32, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to reinitiate the sync session using the accepted sync protocol after the sync session is interrupted.

44. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a client device.

38. A client device comprising:

a processor configured to operate

a transport protocol that enables opening of one or more connections to a server; and

a sync protocol that enables data synchronization between the client device and the server over the opened one or more connections, wherein the sync protocol enables the client device to

send a request to a server to initiate a sync session, wherein the request includes

a separate proposed sync mode for each of multiple dataclasses sent in parallel, and

one or more changes to the one or more dataclasses;

receive one or more status codes indicative of whether the proposed sync mode for each dataclass has been accepted by the server;

send a command to the server to commit changes to data items associated with the one or more changes to the dataclasses;

based on the received status code, use the accepted sync mode to receive from the server additional changes to the dataclasses; and

commit at a client device the additional changes received from the server.

39. The client device of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to:

receive the one or more status codes that indicate that the proposed sync mode for at least one of the data classes has been rejected by the server; and

send another request that includes a different sync mode than the rejected sync mode.

40. The client device of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to:

send the proposed sync mode and the one or more changes in a single message to the server.

41. The client device of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to send the proposed sync mode for the dataclasses in parallel comprising sending a different proposed sync mode for at least two of the dataclasses in parallel.

42. The client device of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to send a proposed fast sync mode for one of the dataclasses and a proposed slow sync mode for another of the dataclasses.

43. The client device of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to operate the sync protocol to reinitiate the sync session using the accepted sync protocol after the sync session is interrupted.