Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Richard Yiu-Sai Chung

Akash Jeevan Sagar

George P Moromisato

Raymond Edward Ozzie

Jack E Ozzie

Paresh S Suthar

Matthew S Augustine

David Richard Reed

Michael Steven Vernal

Muthukaruppan Annamalai

Vladimir Dmitri Fedorov

Systems and methods for synchronizing data between endpoints using elements of centralized and decentralized synchronization systems and communication topologies are disclosed. Such systems and methods may in some cases synchronize some subset of data with a centralized endpoint while another subset of data is synchronized in a decentralized fashion directly with other endpoints. Such systems and methods may include a variety of cooperative functionality to assist in the synchronization of data between endpoints.

Server-assisted and peer-to-peer synchronization

Systems and methods for synchronizing data between endpoints, including the modification of data on an endpoint without necessarily modifying data that is communicated between endpoints are disclosed. In such systems and methods the representation of data on an endpoint may be modified so that constraints on that particular endpoint are enforced, without requiring a similar or the same modification to the data when it is synchronized to other endpoints.

Bi-directional data modification with synchronization

Generally, the described system and process enables resolution of conflicts in a synchronized folder. Within the described mesh operating environment, each of the devices may be configured to do the same processing so that the file system view of the synchronized folder looks the same on all devices (pending local capabilities). Updates that cannot be immediately realized to the local store due to conflicts may be deferred for later attempts when, for example, additional updates at the system level or local level are made to resolve or eliminate the conflict for the update item. Generally, further changes may be propagated by a user in addressing a particular conflict that the user is notified about (e.g., via a selected winner that the user disagrees with). Alternatively, the conflict may resolve itself when a further update occurs that overrides or renders moot the previous update (e.g., a deleted item having a modified enclosure, where the enclosure had a previous concurrency conflict). Depending on the local file system, the described system and process may perform additional fix ups for file name, attributes, etc. In this case, the described system and process may be configured not to update a main replication feed since the updates are local or node application specific. Resolution may primarily depend on the user. When the user does resolve a conflict, the feed may be updated and the resolution propagated to all nodes.

Method and system of managing conflicts for a set of synchronized folders

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Richard Yiu-Sai Chung