Network folder synchronization

摘要

Synchronization of folders shared among multiple clients over a network is provided. A first user of a first client instantiates a folder to be shared, and the folder and its contents are synchronized with a host system. As the user makes changes to the folder and its contents on the first client, those changes are propagated to the synchronized version on the host server. Other clients who will be sharing the synchronized folder register with the host system and obtain a current version of the synchronized folder and contents. As the contents of the synchronized folder are changed by any of the clients, the changes are propagated to the host system, which in turn delivers the changes to each of the clients registered as sharing that folder. In this way, each client participating in the share has a current version of the folder and its contents.

主权项

1. A method for synchronizing a shared folder over a network, the method comprising:
receiving a first file and an associated first block list at a host system from a first client system; associating the received file with a synchronized folder on the host system, the synchronized folder having an associated first namespace and the folder including a plurality of files, each of the plurality of files having an associated block list; receiving a request from the first client system to share the synchronized folder with a second client system; associating the synchronized folder with a second namespace; associating the synchronized folder with the second client system; receiving a request from the second client system for contents of the synchronized folder; providing to the second client system a link from a third namespace to the second namespace, and an indication of each of the plurality of files and its associated block list in the synchronized folder; receiving at the host system a request from the second client system for the first file, the request including blocks identified in the provided first block list; providing the first file including the requested blocks to the second client system; receiving at the host system from the first client system a modification to the first file; updating the first file and its associated first block list according to the received modification; providing an indication to the second client system that the contents of the folder have changed, the indication including the first block list and the updated block list associated with the first file; receiving a request from the second client system for the modification to the first file; and sending, by the host system, a difference between the blocks in the updated block list and the first block list.