| 摘要 |
<p>METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONIZING COMPUTER MAIL USER DIRECTORIES A method and system for synchronizing directories containing information about computer mail users is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a computer mail facility synchronizes a user directory stored in a responding directory node with a more current user directory stored in an originating directory node. The facility first acquires in the originating directory node one or more directory update transactions for updating the contents of the user directory stored in the originating directory node. The facility assigns a consecutive sequence number to each transaction indicating the order of acquisition. The facility then updates the contents of the user directory stored in the originating directory node by processing the transactions in the order of their sequence numbers. At a later time the facility selects a means of the transactions for transmission to the responding directory node. The sequence number of the first directory update transaction in the series is consecutive to an originating directory node synchronization number that stores the sequence number of a last confirmed transmitted directory update transaction. Also, the assigned sequence numbers of all directory update transactions in the series areconsecutive. After selecting the series of transactions, the facility transmits transactions of the series from the originating directory node to the respondingdirectory node. The facility receives the transactions of the series in the responding directory node, then transmits a confirmation message indicating the largest consecutive sequence number of the received directory update transactions from the responding directory node to the originating directory node. Upon receiving the confirmation message in the originating directory node, the facility sets the originating directory node synchronization number tothe sequence number indicated by the confirmation message.</p> |
