FILE SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING CONTENT IN A DATA NETWORK AND RELATED METHOD

摘要

A file system for distributing content in a data network, includes a file replication and transfer system and a replicated file receiver system. The file replication and transfer system includes an interface file system which looks for changes made to contents of a file created and stored in an associated work file system; and a file system monitor communicatively associated with the interface filing system for monitoring events occuring with the interface file system and causing copies of the new files to be transferred over the data network to the replicated file receiver system. The interface file system also looks for changes made to the contents of files already stored in the work file system and creates an update file in a mirror file system if a change to the contents of a file stored in the work file system is observed by the interface file system. A collector file system communicatively associated with the mirror file system is provided for temporarily storing a copy of the update file. The replicated file receiver system includes a file construction system for constructing a new version of the file from a copy of the file and the update file; a receiver collector file system for storing the new version of the file; and a receiver interface file system for enabling work to be conducted with an old copy of the file if an open request for the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file, and for enabling work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.