Dropbox, Inc.

Kelson Reiss

Sourabh Yerfule

Parker Timmerman

Geoffry Song

Adam Arbree

Nipunn Koorapati

Pranav Vishnu Ramabhadran

Zihao Yang

Jordi Paris Ferrer

Lisa Fan

Sabrina Weschler

Yoeun Pen

Alexandru Grigoras

The present technology is directed to providing a multi-root architecture for managing devices associated with their own root namespaces. The system can include backing up multiple computing devices to a single user account such that the content items from each computing device are stored in their own respective root namespace at the user account. With each user account having multiple root namespaces, the system can identify which root namespace is receiving changes, identify which changes are necessary to synchronize the system, and then communicate those changes to the content management system. This process is facilitated by running a synchronization engine for each root namespace, thereby controlling synchronization for each root namespace. Each synchronization engine is able to retain its own parameters of operation, which provides the ability to tailor synchronization modes on each synchronization engine.

Multi-root content management system

Implementing different synchronization processes using a multi-root system

The present technology is a backup service that can provide a menu of collaboration options that can be selected within the backup service for implementation by a synchronization service. In such an embodiment, when a user selects a collaboration option from the menu of collaboration options in the backup service, the backup service can call the synchronization service to copy the backup object into the synchronization service and implement the selected collaboration option. This can provide a benefit of reducing the number of user interfaces that need to be displayed and interacted with in order to carry out the intent of the user to offer a copy of the backup object for collaboration. The present technology also provides improved user interfaces.

Enabling collaboration on an object from a backup service through integration with an object synchronization service

The present technology is directed to providing a backup service utilizing a bi-directional synchronization architecture. In order to support both a backup service and a bi-directional synchronization service, the present technology can utilize a special object called an anchor that only permits unidirectional synchronization. Additionally, the present technology separates the backup service from the bi-directional synchronization service. This separation includes utilizing a separate backup directory and bi-directional synchronization directory on a client device, which in turn benefits from the use of a separate instance of the synchronization service on the client device. Further, at the content management system various steps are taken to separate the backup directory from the bi-directional synchronization directory to ensure no objects from the backup directory appear in a user interface related to bi-directional synchronization, and vice versa.

Backup feature provided by bidirectional synchronized content management system

The present technology pertains to synchronizing contents of a directory external to a synchronized directory by a content management system. The content management system is configured to synchronize only objects in the synchronized directory. Accordingly, the present technology creates an anchor object that represents the directory external to the synchronized directory within the synchronized directory. The anchor object includes special attributes that indicate to the synchronization client that the anchor object represents an external directory, and allows the contents of that directory to be synchronized directly to a server on the content management system without first storing the contents of the external directory on the hard drive of the client device.

Synchronizing an external location

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Kelson Reiss