Method and server for synchronizing remote system with master system

• US 7,627,634 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hein, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASEL, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US10/697,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/206, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems

Abstract

A method for synchronizing at least one remote system with a master system and a server associated therewith are provided. The server comprises a communication unit for communicating with the master system and with the at least one remote system over a data network. Further, the server comprises a control unit. The control unit detects files to be synchronized that are present in the master system but missing in the at least one remote system. Then, it compares corresponding check sums of files to be synchronized, wherein receiving said check sums from the master system and from at least one remote system. The control unit detects corresponding files with different check sums and initiates the transmission of the detected files from the master system to the at least one remote system.

Claims

1. A server for synchronizing at least one remote system with a master system, said server comprising:

a communication unit for communicating with the master system and with the at least one remote system over a data network; and

a control unit for;

receiving from the master system and the at least one remote system respective first lists of files that comply with a file classification specifying a group of files to be updated;

detecting files in the first lists of files that are present in the master system, but missing in the at least one remote system;

comparing the first lists of files and filtering out files that are in multiple first lists of files to form a second list of files;

sending the second list of files to the master system and the at least one remote system and requesting respective calculations of check sums for corresponding files in the master system and the at least one remote system;

receiving said respective check sums from the master system and the at least one remote system;

comparing corresponding check sums for the files in the second list of files;

detecting files from the second list of files with different check sums; and

initiating the transmission of files to be synchronized from the master system to the at least one remote system, wherein the files to be synchronized include files from the second list of files for which different check sums were detected and files from the first lists of files which were detected as missing from the at least one remote system.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to delete files to be synchronized that are present in the at least one remote system but missing in the master system.

3. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to initiate the adjustment of file attributes of files to be synchronized and/or to initiate the adjustment of symbolic links and/or hard links.

4. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to assign master system and remote system roles to computer systems based on a message received from a control station.

5. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to send commands to the master system and to the at least one remote system, the commands including the file classification specifying the group of files to be updated and a request to reply with the corresponding first list of files complying with this file classification.

6. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to request the file systems of the master system and the at least one remote system to block the access to files to be updated until the data synchronization is finalized.

7. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to allocate the files to be updated to several file blocks and performing the data synchronization of each of said file blocks separately.

8. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged for:

requesting the file systems of the at least one remote system to check for data inconsistency caused by the data synchronization and to reply with a list of inconsistent files; and

performing again the data synchronization for the files of this list.

9. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a control message from a control station, the message including the file classification, and to send commands to the master system and the at least one remote system, the commands including the file classification.

10. A method for synchronizing at least one remote system with a master system, wherein files to be updated are sent over a data network connecting the master system with the at least one remote system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a comparison server, from the master system and the at least one remote system respective first lists of files that comply with a file classification specifying a group of files to be updated;

detecting files in the first lists of files that are present in the master system, but missing in the at least one remote system;

comparing the first lists of files and filtering out files that are in multiple first lists of files to form a second list of files;

sending the second list of files to the master system and the at least one remote system and requesting respective calculations of check sums for corresponding files in the master system and the at least one remote system;

receiving, at the comparison server, said respective check sums from the master system and the at least one remote system;

comparing corresponding check sums for the files in the second list of files;

detecting files from the second list of files with different check sums; and

initiating the transmission of files to be updated from the master system to the at least one remote system, wherein the files to be updated include files from the second list of files for which different check sums were detected and files from the first lists of files which were detected as missing from the at least one remote system.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

deleting files to be synchronized that are present in the at least one remote system but missing in the master system.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

initiating the adjustment of file attributes of files to be synchronized and/or to initiate the adjustment of symbolic links and/or hard links.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

assigning master system and remote system roles to computer systems based on a message received from a control station.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

sending commands to the master system and to the at least one remote system, the commands including the file classification specifying the group of files to be updated and a request to reply with the corresponding first list of files complying with this file classification.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

requesting the file systems of the master system and the at least one remote system to block the access to files to be updated until the data synchronization is finalized.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

allocating the files to be updated to several file blocks and performing the data synchronization of each of said file blocks separately.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

requesting the file systems of the at least one remote system to check for data inconsistency caused by the data synchronization and to reply with list of inconsistent files; and

performing again the data synchronization for the files of this list.

18. A method for synchronizing files on a remote system with files on a master system via a data network, the method comprising:

a) at a comparison server, receiving respective first lists of files from the master system and the remote system, both first lists of files complying with a file classification specifying a group of files to be updated;

b) identifying files in the first lists of files that are present in the master system, but missing in the remote system;

c) comparing the first lists of files and filtering out files that are in both first lists of files to form a second list of files;

d) sending the second list of files to the master system and the remote system and requesting respective calculations of check sums for corresponding files in the master system and the remote system;

e) at the comparison server, receiving said respective check sums from the master system and the remote system;

f) comparing corresponding check sums for the files in the second list of files;

g) identifying files from the second list of files with different check sums; and

h) initiating the transmission of the files identified in b) and g) from the master system to the remote system.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

i) receiving a control message from a control station, the message including the file classification; and

j) sending commands to the master system and the remote system, the commands including the file classification.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the file classification includes at least one of a file name, a file path, a file extension, a selection of all files, a file system, a file attribute, a file size, a file owner, a user group, and an access right.