Transaction based virtual file system optimized for high-latency network connections

• US 20060047716A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Robert O. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems

Abstract

A method and system are provided for a virtual distributed data manager. In one example of the method, the virtual data manager involves receiving a request to mount a file system onto the client computer, wherein the file system is stored on the server system and contains the one or more data files; transferring a copy of a directory structure of the file system stored on the server system to the client computer; and creating on the client computer a virtual file system including the copy of the directory structure. The method is preferably transaction based and provides high performance on high latency network connections.

Claims

1. A method of managing one or more data files over a network, wherein the network is configured to be connected to a server system and to a client computer, the method comprising:

receiving a request to mount a file system onto the client computer, wherein the file system is stored on the server system and contains the one or more data files;

transferring a copy of a directory structure of the file system stored on the server system to the client computer; and

generating on the client computer a virtual file system including the copy of the directory structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to open a data file of the one or more data files; and

determining whether a client file version of the data file is available on the client computer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that a client file version is available;

obtaining a CRC value of a server file version of the data file;

obtaining a CRC value of the client file version of the data file; and

comparing the CRC value of the server file version to the CRC value of the client file version.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the CRC value of the server file version is equal to the CRC value of the client file version; and

assigning an acceptable status to the request to open the data file.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the CRC value of the server file version is unequal to the CRC value of the client file version; and

checking whether a CRC value of another server file version is equal to the CRC value of the client file version.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that the CRC value of the other server file version is equal to the CRC value of the client file version;

generating a differential of the server file version;

transferring the differential to the client computer; and

merging the differential with the client file version to generate a current client file version matching the other server file version.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that the CRC value of the other server file version is unequal to the CRC value of the client file version;

transferring a copy of the server file version to the client computer; and

synchronizing the client file version with the server file version.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that a client file version is unavailable; and

transferring a server file version of the data file from the server system to the client computer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to open a data file of the one or more data files;

checking for a valid network connection between the client computer and the server system;

determining that a valid network exists; and

updating the file system stored on the server system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein updating the file system is performed asynchronously as a background operation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to mount the file system is received when a network connection between the client computer and the server system does not exist, the method further comprising:

displaying an error message; and

providing an option of at least one of waiting for the network connection or working on data files offline.

12. A method of managing one or more data files over a network, wherein the network is configured to be connected to a server system and a client computer, the method comprising:

receiving a request to update a data file of the one or more data files;

comparing a client prior version of the data file to a client current version of the data file;

generating difference information based on the comparing of the client prior version to the client current version; and

determining whether the difference information is larger than the client current version.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the difference information is larger than the client current version; and

transferring the client current version to the server system without performing differential processing at the server system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the difference information is not larger than the client current version;

transferring the difference information to the server system; and

performing differential processing using the difference information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein performing differential processing comprises:

patching a server prior version using the difference information to create a server current version; and

sending a CRC value of the server current version to the client computer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising verifying that the CRC value of the server current version matches a CRC value of the client current version.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the CRC value of the server current version does not match a CRC value of the client current version;

sending the client current version to the server system; and

replacing the server current version with the client current version.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the request to update the data file is received when a network connection between the client computer and the server system does not exist, the method further comprising:

performing updates to a data file stored on the client computer; and

queuing the updates to the data file until the network connection is established.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the request to update the data file is initiated by a user using the client computer, the method further comprising:

receiving a request to synchronize a data file with a server file system on the server system;

tagging the data file as synchronized;

receiving login information of the user from another client computer; and

synchronizing the other client computer with the data file tagged as synchronized.

20. A server system for managing one or more data files over a network, wherein the network is configured to be connected to the server system and to a client computer, the server system comprising a file system including a directory having a directory structure and the one or more data files, wherein the server system is configured to receive a request to mount the file system onto the client computer, to transfer a copy of the directory structure to client computer, and to instruct the client computer to generate a virtual file system including a copy of the directory structure.

21. The server system of claim 20, wherein the server system is further configured to receive a CRC value of a client file version of a data file, to obtain a CRC value of the server file version of the data file, and to compare the CRC value of the server file version to the CRC value of the client file version.

22. The server system of claim 20, wherein the server system is further configured to receive a request to update a data file, and to receive difference information from the client computer, wherein the difference information is based on a comparison of a client prior version of the data file to a client current version of the data file.

23. A client computer for managing one or more data files over a network, wherein the network is configured to be connected to the client computer and to the server system, wherein the server system includes a file system having a directory with a directory structure, wherein the client computer is configured to receive a request to mount the file system onto the client computer, wherein the client computer is further configured to receive a copy of the directory structure of the file system, the client computer comprising a virtual file system including the copy of the directory structure of the file system.

24. The client computer of claim 23, wherein the client computer is further configured to receive a request to open a data file, and to check whether a client file version of the data file is available on the client computer.

25. The client computer of claim 23, wherein the client computer is further configured to receive a request to update a data file, to compare a client prior version of the data file to a client current version of the data file, and to generate difference information based on the comparing of the client prior version to the client current version.

26. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more instructions for managing one or more data files over a network, wherein the network is configured to be connected to a server system and to a client computer, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following:

receiving a request to mount a file system onto the client computer, wherein the file system is stored on the server system and contains the one or more data files;

transferring a copy of a directory, having a directory structure, of the file system stored on the server system to the client computer; and

generating on the client computer a virtual file system including the copy of the directory structure.