Synchronization and collaboration within peer-to-peer and client/server environments

• US 8,010,487 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Richardson, Ransom Lloyd, Pyle, Hugh Francis, Slapikoff, Robert Sean, Fischer, Edward J, Jeffers, Michael Andrew, Zircher, Dana, Norman, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Vy; Hung T
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAO, PHUONG THAO
• Application Number:
  US12/147,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/248, 707/999.203, 707/622, 707/623, 707/999.201
• US Class Current: 707/622
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1662 the resynchronized component or unit being a persistent storage device re-synchronization of failed mirror storage G06F11/2082; rebuild or reconstruction of parity RAID storage G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104

Abstract

Tools and techniques are described for synchronization and collaboration within peer-to-peer and client/server environments. These tools may provide methods that include establishing peer-to-peer relationships between two or more client systems. These relationships enable the client systems to create respective local instances of workspaces, shared between the client systems to allow them to collaborate with one another. The client systems may participate in peer-to-peer synchronization flows with one another, with the synchronization flows representing updates made local to the shared workspaces of the client systems. The methods may also establish establishing a client/server relationship between one of the client systems and a server system. Through this client/server relationship, the client and server systems may participate in client/server synchronization flows, with these flows representing updates made to the local shared workspace at the client system.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a client system operable with a server system, cause the client system to perform a method comprising:

providing a production database on the client system, wherein the production database is for instantiating an application related to a workspace shared between the client system and an other client system, wherein the production database is associated with a current schema;

receiving a synchronization flow from the server system, wherein the synchronization flow includes at least information representing a second schema;

comparing the current schema to the second schema, as received from the server system;

creating a clone of the production database thereby forming a clone database;

loading the current schema into the clone database;

incorporating the second schema into the clone database; and

evaluating whether the clone database is valid, as updated with the second schema.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for merging the second schema into the production database forming a merged production database, in response to determining that the clone database is valid.

3. The storage medium of claim 2, further comprising instructions for propagating the merged production database to the other client system.

4. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the current schema is a production schema that is currently used to instantiate the production database.

5. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for identifying at least one difference between the current schema and the second schema.

6. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for not assimilating the synchronization flow into the production database, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.

7. The storage medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions for awaiting receipt of another synchronization flow, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

providing a production database on a client system, wherein the production database is for instantiating an application related to a workspace shared between the client system and an other client system, wherein the production database is associated with a current schema;

receiving a synchronization flow from a server system, wherein the synchronization flow includes at least information representing a second schema;

comparing the current schema to the second schema, as received from the server system;

creating a clone of the production database thereby forming a clone database;

loading the current schema into the clone database;

incorporating the second schema into the clone database; and

evaluating whether the clone database is valid, as updated with the second schema.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising merging the second schema into the production database forming a merged production database, in response to determining that the clone database is valid.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising propagating the merged production database to the other client system.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the current schema is a production schema that is currently used to instantiate the production database.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising identifying at least one difference between the current schema and the second schema.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising not assimilating the synchronization flow into the production database, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising awaiting receipt of another synchronization flow, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.

15. A client system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium operably connected to the processor, the computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

provide a production database, wherein the production database is for instantiating an application related to a workspace shared between the client system and an other client system, wherein the production database is associated with a current schema;

receive a synchronization flow from a server system, wherein the synchronization flow includes at least information representing a second schema;

compare the current schema to the second schema, as received from the server system;

create a clone of the production database thereby forming a clone database;

load the current schema into the clone database;

incorporate the second schema into the clone database; and

evaluate whether the clone database is valid, as updated with the second schema.

16. The client system of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to merge the second schema into the production database forming a merged production database, in response to determining that the clone database is valid.

17. The client system of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to propagate the merged production database to the other client system.

18. The client system of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify at least one difference between the current schema and the second schema.

19. The client system of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to not assimilate the synchronization flow into the production database, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.

20. The client system of claim 19, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to await receipt of another synchronization flow, in response to determining that the clone database is not valid.