Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Michael Scott Beckerman

Lev Novik

Moe Khosravy

Vladimir Sadovsky

Michael Ray Clark

Myron C Thomas

Jorg-Thomas Pfenning

Jörg-Thomas Pfenning

Oliver C Lee

Marc Levy

Mark Levy

Sean Michael Kelley

Systems and methods for orchestrating synchronizations between different targets in a synchronization community. The order and nature of synchronizations may depend on multiple factors, including the initiator of the synchronization, the data being synchronized, and other characteristics of the synchronization participants and synchronization community.

Synchronization orchestration

A sync community may include a group of synchronization endpoints. When two synchronization endpoints of the sync community synchronize with one another, a synchronization data conflict may be detected when the two synchronization endpoints make a change to a same particular data item and the two synchronization endpoints were unaware of the changes to the same particular data item made by the other respective synchronization endpoint at the time the changes were made. Resolution of the detected synchronization data conflict may be delayed and data indicative of the detected synchronization data conflict may be propagated to other synchronization endpoints during a synchronization operation.

Propagation of conflict knowledge

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that improve synchronization of data between varying types of devices and/or services. A full participant receives a request from another participant to perform a synchronization operation. The synchronization engine determines whether the device or service is a full, partial, or simple participant. The device or service is a simple participant if it has a data store for synchronized data and no knowledge store. The device or service is a partial participant if it has a data store for synchronized data and a knowledge store, but does not understand the knowledge. The device or service is a full participant type if it has a data store for synchronized data and a knowledge store and understands the knowledge. The synchronization engine performs the synchronization operation with the device or service using a set of logic that is appropriate for the type of device or service.

Synchronization peer participant model

A variety of flexible conflict resolution policies are provided for loosely coupled devices to implement according to a variety of different synchronization scenarios. Choosing a conflict resolution policy, such as 'Most Frequent Updater,' 'Priority,' &#x201c;PerCent Change,&#x201d; &#x201c;Arbiter Deadlock Resolution,&#x201d; etc., enables devices to select how and when to resolve such synchronization conflicts. In addition, with reference to a conflict log, a user or synchronizing application can roll back synchronization state to a time before a conflict may have arisen, so that the user or application can undo a resolution of a conflict and/or the user or application can apply an alternative conflict resolution policy moving forward from that time.

Efficient knowledge representation in data synchronization systems

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Michael Scott Beckerman