Synchronization orchestration

• US 7,890,646 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Khosravy, Moe, Sadovsky, Vladimir, Levy, Mark, Beckerman, Michael S., Thomas, Myron C., Pfenning, Jorg-Thomas, Novik, Lev
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARON, JAMES T
• Application Number:
  US11/380,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 709230-232, 709/248, 707610-639
• US Class Current: 709/231
• 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 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

Systems and methods for orchestrating synchronizations between different targets in a synchronization community. The order and nature of synchronizations may depend on multiple factors, including the initiator of the synchronization, the data being synchronized, and other characteristics of the synchronization participants and synchronization community.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing data according to a synchronization procedure performed between a sync initiator and two or more synchronization targets that are connected by at least one communication link, comprising:

receiving input data comprising;

user input that specifies that a synchronization procedure is to be initiated, and

a quality measure value associated with the at least one communication link, the quality measure value comprising at least a measured bandwidth of the at least one communication link;

performing the synchronization procedure, the synchronization procedure comprising a plurality of synchronization operations and involving a sync initiator and two or more synchronization targets that are connected by at least one communication link, the synchronization operations comprising;

synchronizing first set of synchronization data on a first synchronization target from the sync initiator, and

synchronizing a second set of synchronization data on a second synchronization target to the sync initiator, wherein the first set depends on the second set,

planning an orchestration of the synchronization procedure to match the determined user'"'"'s intent, the planning comprising;

determining that the user input includes an indication that the user desires a quick synchronization, and

based upon the determination that the indication indicates that the user desires a quick synchronization, ordering the plurality of synchronization operations to perform a quick synchronization, wherein the quick synchronization comprises abstaining from synchronizing the second set of synchronization data from the second synchronization target to the sync initiator; and

orchestrating the synchronization procedure, the orchestrating comprising;

selecting, based on the ordering of the plurality of synchronization operations, the first set of synchronization data to be transferred between the sync initiator and the first synchronization target without first synchronizing the second set of synchronization data from the second synchronization target to the sync initiator

abstaining from synchronizing the sync initiator with the second synchronization target until after synchronizing the sync initiator with the first synchronization target, the abstaining is performed based on the determination that the indication indicates that the user desires a quick synchronization and even upon the condition that the second synchronization target is currently available to synchronize the second set of synchronization data,

a first data transfer, wherein the first data transfer comprises;

determination that the quality measure value exceeds a specified threshold,

transferring the first set of synchronization data from the sync initiator to the first synchronization target,

upon the determination that the quality measure value is below a specified threshold, adjusting the quality of the synchronized data being transferred to the first sync target,

the first data transfer being performed without first synchronizing the second set of synchronization data from the second synchronization target to the sync initiator such that the first set of synchronization data does not include updates that have been made to the second set of synchronization data on which it depends, and

a second data transfer, wherein the second data transfer comprises;

determination that the quality measure value exceeds a specified threshold,

transferring the second set of synchronization data from the second synchronization target to the sync initiator upon the determination that the first data transfer has been completed and the first synchronization target is no longer connected to the sync initiator, and

upon the determination that the quality measure value is below a specified threshold, adjusting the quality of the synchronized data being transferred to the second sync target.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the sync initiator stores at least a portion of the synchronization data;

the input data further comprises information about the synchronization data stored by the sync initiator; and

the two or more synchronization targets involved in the transferring operation also store at least a portion of the synchronization data stored by the sync initiator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization procedure is initiated by at least one of:

connection of the sync initiator;

passage of a set period of time; and

modification of at least a portion of the synchronization data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization data is defined by at least one of:

a static synchronization topic; and

a dynamic synchronization topic.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the input data further comprises whether the sync initiator is a full participant, a partial participant, or a simple participant.

6. The method of claim 1′

wherein the input data further comprises instructions explicitly provided by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two or more synchronization targets is also a second synchronizing initiator that synchronizes with one or more additional synchronization targets with which the synch initiator is not directly connected and with which the sync initiator cannot synchronize directly.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sync initiator has one or more common uses and the input data further comprises one of the one or more common uses of the sync initiator.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the input data further comprises topology information about a synchronization community that includes the synchronizing initiator and the two or more synchronization targets.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first synchronization target is a portable music player, the synchronization initiator is a personal computer, and the second synchronization target is an online music service.

11. One or more computer storage media that store computer executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the quality measure value further comprises at least one of:

a theoretical maximum bandwidth of the at least one communication link; and

a latency of the at least one communication link.