System and methods for optimized access in a multi-user environment

Abstract

A client/server system providing methods of utilizing information stored locally on a client even after the client has modified data on the server is described. A client stores data from the server in a local 'read-only' buffer(s), to speed up access to the data and reduce network traffic. Since the buffer is treated as a 'read only' buffer, no locks are taken out at the server by the client. Accesses to particular data records are satisfied by looking first to the local buffer or cache. The client may proceed to modify the data records and commit changes back to the server. Moreover, the client updates or 'writes through' the 'read-only' buffer(s) with the changes so that the local buffer remains valid. The methods of updating data stored locally on the client provide significant performance increases as the client does not have to refresh data from the server.