Managed peer-to-peer applications, systems and methods for distributed data access and storage

• US 20050144195A1
• Filed: 11/13/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Rizal, Dharmarus, Hesselink, Lambertus, Bjornson, Eric S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Applications, systems and methods for permitting simultaneous use of a file by two or more computers over a network may include storing the file locally in a local storage device associated with a local computer; providing access to the file by at least one remote computer which is connectable to the local computer via the network, and wherein at least one of the computers is connectable to the network through a firewall element. The file may be stored in at least one remote storage device associated with the at least one remote computer, respectively, and versions of the file contained on the one or more remote storage devices are synchronized with that on the local device by transmitting over the network connecting the one or more remote storage devices with the local device, at least one of Delta files and Inverse Delta files between the remote storage devices and the local storage device. A method of remotely observing computer activity on a second computer remote with respect to a first computer is also provided. Further, file sharing systems and methods are provided for sharing files among computers.

Claims

1. A method of permitting simultaneous use of a file by two or more computers over a network, said method comprising the steps of:

storing the file locally in a local storage device associated with a local computer;

providing access to the file by at least one remote computer which is connectable to the local computer via the network, and wherein at least one of said computers is connectable to the network through a firewall element;

storing the file in at least one remote storage device associated with the at least one remote computer, respectively; and

synchronizing versions of the file contained on the one or more remote storage devices with the local device by transmitting over the network connecting the one or more remote storage devices with the local device, at least one of Delta files and Inverse Delta files between the remote storage devices and the local storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said remote computers is a remotely located computer, and wherein said at least one remotely located computer is connectable with said local computer and any other local computers or remote computers in said network, over a public network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein connections between said computers are persistent, such that if a connection is broken, the connection is automatically reconnected to resume functioning without any requirement for reconfiguration required to resume normal functioning.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing access is predicated at least in part by biodata security requirements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of said computers are interconnected securely over a wireless connection, without the need to configure a firewall.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of said computers are interconnected via a VPN.

7. A method of remotely observing computer activity on a second computer remote with respect to a first computer, wherein said first and second computers are securely connected to one another, at least one said first and second computers being connectable through a firewall element, said method comprising the steps of:

providing access to one or more files between said first and second computers, such that information representing files accessible by the second computer may be displayed on the first computer; and

monitoring access and modification, from said first computer, of the files accessible by the second computer due to user interaction with the files at the location of the second computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first and second computers are connected over a public network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first computer is connectable to the network through a first firewall element and said second computer is connectable to the network through a second firewall element.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said first computer is connectable to the public network through a first firewall element, said first firewall element adapted to protect said first computer from hostile intrusion from the public network, and wherein said second computer is connectable to the public network through a second firewall element, said second firewall element adapted to protect said second computer from hostile intrusion from the public network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said monitoring is performed in real time.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating a log of activities regarding access and modification of the files accessed by the user of the second computer, and sending the log to the first computer.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending an alert from the second computer to the first computer when a predefined access or modification of a file has been performed at the second computer.

14. A file sharing system for sharing files among computers, said system comprising:

means for storing files to be shared in a first location of a first storage device associated with a first computer; and

means associated with a second computer accessing said first location of said first storage device and displaying a file structure of said first location on a display of said second computer when said second computer is connected with said first computer by a network, wherein at least one of said first and second computers is connected through a firewall element and wherein files added to said first location are automatically displayed on said second computer display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second computers are connected, through first and second firewalls, respectively, by a wide area network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a user of said second computer has full access to and functionality of said files added to said first location equal to the access to and functionality of the files available by a user of the first computer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein a user of said second computer has full access to and functionality of said files added to said first location equal to the access to and functionality of the files available by a user of the first computer.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said first and second firewalls use different restriction criteria, respectively.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for storing said files added to said first location in a storage means associated with said second computer, whereby a user of said second computer can work on said files stored in said storage means associated with said second computer even when said second computer is no longer actively connected to said first computer over the wide area network.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for automatically updating the files added to said first location, after a user of the second computer has modified the files when said second computer is no longer actively connected to said first computer, and then after reconnecting said second computer to said first computer.