Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Jack Allen Nichols

Michael John Novak

Amnon Itamar Govrin

Chris J Guzak

Jason Fergus Moore

Tyler Kien Beam

Marcus Eduardo Markiewicz

Ping Xie

Adam Christopher Czeisler

Jonathan Alexander Bockelman

Michal Krzysztof Piaseczny

Juan-Lee Pang

Brian David Jones

Daniel Vincent Fiordalis

Marcelo Albuquerque Fernandes Mas

Valeh Valiollah Pour Amiri

Ed Averett

Benjamin M Yim

Neal Robert Christiansen

Rayyan Jaber

Francisco Jose Garcia-Ascanio

Yisheng Chen

Ryan Gordon Zacher

Trevor Van Leeuwen

Ioannis Giannoumis

György Keresztély Schadt

Erik Hampton Soderberg

Mattan Margalith

Andrew Keith LaCHANCE

Bill Sproule

A data processing system includes a processor; and a memory comprising programming instructions for execution by the processor to manage data files stored using both local and cloud data storage. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to obtain a handle with an oplock on a selected file; set a timer; and dehydrate the selected file when the timer elapses provided that the oplock remains unbroken when the file is dehydrated.

Using timed oplocks to determine whether a file is eligible for dehydration

Symbolic link based placeholders are used for cloud stored data synchronization. To synchronize cloud stored data, placeholders may be implemented as bidirectional symbolic links to a location that has a custom virtual file system (VFS) mounted. When a symbolic link is opened, the operating system may be directed to the custom VFS. The custom VFS may hydrate the file through a synchronization engine, and place the hydrated file at the location of the original symbolic link. The custom VFS may then redirect back to the primary file system of the operating system to allow the operation on the file to complete. Complexity and resource consumption may be reduced by passing placeholder requests instead of all requests through the custom VFS.

Symbolic link based placeholders

Dynamic storage management in cloud storage synchronization is provided. A limit may be specified for amount of data associated with hydrated content in local storage. Upon detecting the limit being exceeded, the system may automatically begin to dehydrate files in local storage and replace them with placeholder files. Placeholders may also be specified on by default and content may initially synchronize as placeholders. As the user hydrates content, some files that were previously hydrated may be reverted to the placeholder state as the limit for amount of data in local storage is approached or exceeded. In some examples, specific limits may not be defined, but content may be heuristically dehydrated based on usage and size. In yet another example, the synchronization and local content dehydration may be performed on a per-folder basis.

Dynamic storage management in cloud storage synchronization

This disclosure generally relates to synchronizing a list of queries made against content hosted by a collaborative workspace environment, or against some other remote computing device, to a local computing device. The methods and system described herein enable a synchronization client associated with the local computing device to synchronize one or more queries (e.g., a most recently used file list on the collaborative workspace environment, a list of shared files on the collaborative workspace environment and the like), along with the content associated with the one or more queries, provided on the collaborative workspace environment to the local computing device.

Synchronizing virtualized file systems

A computing system includes at least one processor and memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computing system to instruct a synchronization engine to synchronize first and second versions of a file, the first version being stored on a first storage system and the second version being stored on a second storage system, receive a backoff indicator corresponding to the file, based on the backoff indicator, instruct the synchronization engine to backoff synchronizing changes to the file, and allow the changes to the file to be synchronized by a co-authoring application, maintain a first set of collaborative metadata indicative of content of the first version of the file, and maintain a second set of collaborative metadata indicative of content of the second version of the file.

Coordinating file synchronization between a sync engine and another application that supports document collaboration

A request for an operation on a directory is received that requires a hydration of one or more files within the directory. A process is initiated to hydrate dehydrated descendent files of the folder. During the hydration process, attempts to introduce new dehydrated files in the folder are blocked. The request is processed when the hydration is complete.

Hydration of a hierarchy of dehydrated files

Systems, components, devices, and methods for synchronizing files between a local file system and a server are provided. In an example, synchronization of individual files is paused by placing the individual files in a hold state. A non-limiting example method accesses a file stored on the local file system for synchronization with an associated file on the server and determines whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization. When determined that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization, the method places the file in a hold state. The hold state pauses synchronization of the content in the file with the content of the associated file. In some examples, the method continues to synchronize topological changes to files that have been placed in the hold state and/or resumes synchronization after it is determined that the file is no longer different than the associated file.

File synchronization pausing for individual files

A system to enable a user to generate copies of files at a client device and to cause a file hosting platform to generate backups of these copies in a cloud database without transferring file content data for these files between the client device and the cloud database. When a user copies a file from a first folder on a client device to a second folder on the client device, the system may determine that the file content data for this file is already present in the cloud database. Then, rather than uploading the file content data to the cloud database from the client device, the system may cause a file hosting platform to access the file content data directly from the cloud database to perform a file copy operation.

Enhanced techniques for copying cloud stored files

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for file synchronizing service status monitoring and error handling. A client device includes a local file system access manager that includes a status interface. The status interface is configured to receive a status message from a client-side sync manager of the client device. The client-side sync manager that communicates with a server-side sync manager at a server to synchronize data objects between file systems of the client device and server. The status message corresponds to a state of the client-side sync manager during a multi-stage start-up process for the client-side sync manager. A status caller in an application of the client device can retrieve the status message from the status interface. The status message can also be provided to a user interface for display to a user of the client device, and/or to a telemetry server for use in improving the file synchronizing service.

File synchronizing service status monitoring and error handling

This disclosure generally relates to synchronizing non-file content items from a collaborative workspace environment to a local computing device. Once the non-file content item has been synchronized to the local computing device, content or other data contained within the non-file content item may be accessed and edited. Once the edits are complete, the updated non-file content item may be provided back to the collaborative workspace environment. The changes may then be provided back to the original non-file content item such that it includes the most recent updates.

Synchronizing non-file content stored on a collaborative workspace environment

Policy based hydration behavior in cloud storage synchronization is provided. In some examples, user intent and defined policy or policies may be examined by a synchronization engine to determine when a synchronization should be aborted and instead redirected to viewing the requested file from the cloud, thereby avoiding the download. The synchronization engine may include a web interface with the ability to display and edit different types of files in this fashion. In addition to redirecting to the cloud, hydration may be blocked entirely in other examples. In a further example, a selective synchronization dialog may be launched to allow the user specify select action(s). A policy that dictates the hydration behavior may be persisted and updated as needed. To implement the policy, required operations on the local machine may be intercepted.

Policy based hydration behavior in cloud storage synchronization

Variety of approaches to control file hydration behavior are described. A filter driver initiates operations to control file hydration behavior upon receiving a process identifier (PID) registration from a synchronization engine. Upon receiving a file operation request associated with a placeholder file, a PID and a process name associated with the file operation is identified. A hydration behavior is detected based on the PID or the process name. A decision associated with the file operation request is rendered based on the hydration behavior.

Discovery of calling application for control of file hydration behavior

A synchronization engine detects a notification of a change to a file. It determines whether an application associated with the file has indicated that the file is to be synchronized by the application. If so, the changes to the file are synchronized between a cloud-based storage system and a local disk by the application. Collaborative metadata, associated with the synchronized file, is updated to indicate a state of a copy of the file on the local disk and a copy of the file in the cloud-based storage system. The collaborative metadata is stored by the synchronization engine.

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software for enhancing error detection in data synchronization operations. In an implementation, log data reported by a device is received and incorporated into an event database indicating interleaved events related to data synchronization threads on the device. The event database is queried to extract a listing of events in the event database, the listing of events comprising events potentially associated with at least one error condition in the data synchronization threads. The listing of events is processed to identify one or more patterns from among the interleaved events that indicate the at least one error condition in the data synchronization threads. Responsive to identifying the one or more patterns, an indication of the at least one error condition in the data synchronization threads is communicated.

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Bothell, WA, United States of America

Jack Allen Nichols