Method and system for access to automatically synchronized remote files

• US 20030120685A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Everyware Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Jaffe, Norman, Swain, Nicholas M., Duncombe, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and system for the simple, fast, and effective maintenance of consistent data files across a multiplicity of computer systems, which functionality is useful in collaborative work, effective backup, and disaster recovery. Consistency is maintained using secure file storage remote from any number of clients the files on which are automatically synchronized consuming minimal network bandwidth. Automated bi-directional “one-click” synchronization is implemented via a method that is neutral with respect to platform, operating system, firewall, and network configuration. The software product based on the invented method has the substantial advantage of installation, setup, and operation all without intervention by system administrators.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing files between a client computer and a server computer, wherein said client is located remote from said server further wherein said client and said server have at least one file an instance of which is found on both, and further wherein said client and said server are communicative via a network, the method comprising:

establishing communication between said client and said server;

for said at least one file found on both said client and said server, comparing at least one bit of said file as found on said client with at least one bit of said file as found on said server; and

if said at least one bit of the instance of said file as found on said client is not the same as said at least one bit of the instance of said file as found on said server, then determining which instance of said file has specified characteristics; and

transferring the instance of said file with said specified characteristics to the computer not having that instance of said file.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said synchronizing of files executes automatically upon a single event and said specified characteristic is that the subject instance of said file being transferred is newer in time than the instance of said file with which it was compared.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication is broken between client and server upon specified events.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting Get Volumes and Get Details request messages after establishing communication between said client and said server, and further thereafter flattening and encrypting said Get Volumes and Get Details request messages prior to so transmitting.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client computer is operated by a user and further comprising requiring said user to logon and logoff at specific points during each session synchronizing said files, and authenticating said session in order for said session to remain active when communication is broken between said client and said server.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said client and said server each have folders and files together with lists of folder details and file details further comprising reconciling said client and server lists of folder details and file details, and, as a result of so reconciling, marking said folders and files for processing.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of file handling operations must be completed in the course of said synchronizing, further comprising executing all file handling operation at the same time as transferring the instance of said file with said specified characteristics, including consolidating and displaying the client and server lists of folder details and file details.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising respectively automatically compressing and decompressing all file data before and after transfer between said client computer and said server computer.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining the binary differences between said instances of files on said client computer and said server computer, and transferring only those binary differences together with any supporting data required to replicate the newer file from either said client or said server on either said server or said client not having said newer file.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising double encrypting and decrypting all file data before and after file transfer respectively;

said double encryption comprising first converting, by proprietary algorithm, bits of the file data stream and thereafter immediately encapsulating said stream in IP standard HTTPS, in order that the resulting secure data stream can cross a firewall without reconfiguring said firewall.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication is automatically established and maintained only when and for as long as required, in order to exchange said messages and information and transfer said files or bits.

12. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising permitting said user to exclude from processing specific files despite that said files have been altered, or to engage “

PUT”

functionality automatically deleting local files to save local storage space.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising removing all client program and user data files from the client computer, and restoring said client computer configuration settings to their original state.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising synchronizing more than one client with more than one server.

15. A method of synchronizing files between a client computer and a server computer, wherein said client is located remote from said server further wherein said client and said server have at least one file an instance of which is found on both, and further wherein said client and said server are communicative via a network, the method comprising:

establishing communication between said client and said server;

for said at least one file found on both said client and said server, comparing at least one bit of said file as found on said client with at least one bit of said file as found on said server; and

if said at least one bit of the instance of said file as found on said client is not the same as said at least one bit of the instance of said file as found on said server, then determining which instance of said file has specified characteristics; and

transferring only altered binary differences between instances of said file from the computer having the instance of said file with said specified characteristics to the computer not having that instance of said file.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said synchronizing of files executes automatically upon a single event and said specified characteristic is that the subject instance of said file being transferred is newer in time than the instance of said file with which it was compared.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said communication is broken between client and server upon specified events.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising transmitting Get Volumes and Get Details request messages after establishing communication between said client and said server, and further thereafter flattening and encrypting said Get Volumes and Get Details request messages prior to so transmitting.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said client computer is operated by a user and further comprising requiring said user to logon and logoff at specific points during each session synchronizing said files, and authenticating said session in order for said session to remain active when communication is broken between said client and said server.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said client and said server each have folders and files together with lists of folder details and file details further comprising reconciling said client and server lists of folder details and file details, and, as a result of so reconciling, marking said folders and files for processing.

21. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein a plurality of file handling operations must be completed in the course of said synchronizing, further comprising executing all file handling operation at the same time as transferring the instance of said file with said specified characteristics, including consolidating and displaying the client and server lists of folder details and file details.

22. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising respectively automatically compressing and decompressing all file data before and after transfer between said client computer and said server computer.

23. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising determining the binary differences between said instances of files on said client computer and said server computer, and transferring only those binary differences together with any supporting data required to replicate the newer file from either said client or said server on either said server or said client not having said newer file.

24. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising double encrypting and decrypting all file data before and after file transfer respectively;

said double encryption comprising first converting, by proprietary algorithm, bits of the file data stream and thereafter immediately encapsulating said stream in IP standard HTTPS, in order that the resulting secure data stream can cross a firewall without reconfiguring said firewall.

25. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said communication is automatically established and maintained only when and for as long as required, in order to exchange said messages and information and transfer said files or bits.

26. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising permitting said user to exclude from processing specific files despite that said files have been altered, or to engage “

PUT”

functionality automatically deleting local files to save local storage space.

27. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising removing all client program and user data files from the client computer, and restoring said client computer configuration settings to their original state.

28. A system for the maintenance of consistent data files across a multiplicity of computer systems over a network, the system comprising:

server means;

a client device;

means for automatically identifying changes between the bit contents of instances of data files found on both said server and said client device;

means for securely and bi-directionally transferring only altered bits in a compressed form across said network; and

means for automatically disengaging said network connection upon completing said transfer.