Distributing and synchronizing objects

• US 9,247,000 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gates, Patrick, Federighi, Craig, Noyau, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): DENG, ANNA CHEN
• Application Number:
  US14/465,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• 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 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4553 Object oriented directories, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA] name server
• 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: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

The described embodiments distribute and synchronize objects in a network. More specifically, the described embodiments distribute copies of objects locally (i.e., store copies of objects in local address spaces). By storing a copy of a given object in a local address space, the object'"'"'s methods may be executed locally, which can help to avoid excessive network traffic associated with remotely executing the object'"'"'s methods. However, executing an object'"'"'s methods locally can result in the state of the object (i.e., data associated with the object, etc.) becoming out of sync with other copies of the object in the network. To avoid issues associated with unsynchronized copies of the object in the network, the described embodiments use a policy that specifies conditions under which objects are to be synchronized.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing objects, comprising:

in a computer, performing operations for;

copying an object from a remote computer across a network to said computer, said object being a programming unit that includes executable methods and data operated on by said methods, said object being configured to execute a method upon receiving a corresponding type of message;

obtaining a policy for synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer, wherein said policy specifies one or more conditions when said object is to be synchronized, and wherein said policy is based on said object receiving said corresponding type of message; and

synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer based on said policy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said policy is further temporally based and said policy indicates one of:

one or more specific times, wherein synchronization is to be performed at each of said one or more specific times; and

one or more periods of time, wherein synchronization is to be performed at an end of each of said one or more periods of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a manual configuration of said policy and performing a corresponding update of said policy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said computer to said remote computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said policy is further based on user input.

6. A computer that synchronizes objects, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory;

wherein said processor and said memory perform operations for;

copying an object from a remote computer across a network to said computer, said object being a programming unit that includes executable methods and data operated on by said methods, said object being configured to execute a method upon receiving a corresponding type of message;

obtaining a policy for synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer, wherein said policy specifies one or more conditions when said object is to be synchronized, and wherein said policy is based on said object receiving said corresponding type of message; and

synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer based on said policy.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein said policy is further temporally based and said policy indicates one of:

one or more specific times, wherein synchronization is to be performed at each of said one or more specific times; and

one or more periods of time, wherein synchronization is to be performed at an end of each of said one or more periods of time.

8. The computer of claim 6, further comprising receiving a manual configuration of said policy and performing a corresponding update of said policy.

9. The computer of claim 6, wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said computer to said remote computer.

10. The computer of claim 6, wherein said policy is further based on user input.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for synchronizing objects, the method comprising:

copying an object from a remote computer across a network to said computer, said object being a programming unit that includes executable methods and data operated on by said methods, said object being configured to execute a method upon receiving a corresponding type of message;

obtaining a policy for synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer, wherein said policy specifies one or more conditions when said object is to be synchronized, and wherein said policy is based on said object receiving said corresponding type of message; and

synchronizing said methods and data of said object between said computer and said remote computer based on said policy.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said policy is further temporally based and said policy indicates one of:

one or more specific times, wherein synchronization is to be performed at each of said one or more specific times; and

one or more periods of time, wherein synchronization is to be performed at an end of each of said one or more periods of time.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising receiving a manual configuration of said policy and performing a corresponding update of said policy.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said computer to said remote computer.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said policy is further based on user input.