Location-based data synchronization management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9262435-B2
Application number	US-201313968091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2013
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

In general, a data synchronization management system is disclosed in which files (and/or other data) are synchronized among two or more client computing devices in connection with a backup of those files. Synchronization polices specify files to be synchronized based on selected criteria including file data, metadata, and location information. In general, files are initially copied from a primary client computing device to secondary storage. Thereafter, files to be synchronized are identified from the secondary storage, and copied to other client computing devices. Additionally, synchronized files may be viewed and accessed through a cloud and/or remote file access interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of synchronizing files between multiple client computers using location metadata, the computer-implemented method comprising:
accessing, by a synchronization agent executing in computer hardware comprising one or more computer processors, synchronization criteria for identifying files to synchronize between a first primary storage device associated with a first client computing device and a second primary storage device associated with a second client computing device, wherein the synchronization criteria indicates at least:
a target geographic location, and
that files having location metadata including a geographic location near the target geographic location are to be synchronized;

initiating, by a storage manager, a secondary copy operation, the secondary copy operation comprising:
copying one or more files stored in the first primary storage device to one or more secondary storage devices to create a secondary copy including the one or more files;

accessing, by the synchronization agent, location metadata associated with each of the one or more files in the secondary copy, wherein the location metadata includes at least one of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, other geographic coordinates, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a street address, triangulated location information based on mobile tracking with respect to telecommunications base stations, or location information created by computer-enabled location-based services;
reviewing the location metadata by the synchronization agent;
based at least in part on the review of the location metadata, identifying, by the synchronization agent, at least one file in the secondary copy that meets the synchronization criteria for synchronization between the first primary storage device and the second primary storage device;
accessing the at least one file from the secondary copy stored in the one or more secondary storage devices; and
communicating the accessed at least one file from the one or more secondary storage devices to the second client computing device for storage in the second primary storage device to synchronize the at least one file between the first primary storage device and the second primary storage device.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said communicating comprises communicating a copy of the at least one file that is accessed from the one or more secondary storage devices.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying is in response to the secondary copy operation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the accessed location metadata associated with each of the one or more files in the secondary copy is provided by a component in communication with the first client computing device prior to the initiation of the secondary copy operation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the component in communication with the first client computing device providing location metadata includes at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a network adapter, or a cellular network radio.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the accessed location metadata is provided for a respective file when the respective file is created, accessed, modified, designated for backup, or designated for synchronization.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the accessed location metadata is provided by a user of the first client computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location metadata associated with each of the one or more files in the secondary copy is created by the synchronization agent following the initiation of the secondary copy operation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one file communicated to the second client computing device replaces a previous version of the at least one file stored in the second primary storage device.

10. A system for synchronizing files between multiple client computers using location metadata, the system comprising:
a data store; and
a synchronization agent executing in computer hardware comprising one or more computer processors and configured to:
access synchronization criteria for identifying files to synchronize between a first primary storage device associated with a first client computing device and a second primary storage device associated with a second client computing device, wherein the synchronization criteria indicates at least:
a target geographic location, and
that files having location metadata including a geographic location near the target geographic location are to be synchronized;

initiate, via a storage manager, a secondary copy operation, the secondary copy operation comprising:
copying one or more files stored in the first primary storage device to one or more secondary storage devices to create a secondary copy including the one or more files;

access location metadata associated with each of the one or more files in the secondary copy, wherein the location metadata includes at least one of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, other geographic coordinates, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a street address, triangulated location information based on mobile tracking with respect to telecommunications base stations, or location information created by computer-enabled location-based services;
review the location metadata;
based at least in part on the review of the location metadata, identify at least one file in the secondary copy that meets the synchronization criteria for synchronization between the first primary storage device and the second primary storage device;
access the at least one file from the secondary copy stored in the one or more secondary storage devices; and
communicate the accessed at least one file from the one or more secondary storage devices to the second client computing device for storage in the second primary storage device to synchronize the at least one file between the first primary storage device and the second primary storage device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the copy of the at least one file that is communicated to the second client computing device is accessed from the one or more secondary storage devices.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification of the at least one file is performed is in response to the secondary copy operation.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a network adapter, or a cellular network radio provides the accessed location metadata to the first client computing device prior to initiation of the secondary copy.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the accessed location metadata is provided for a respective file when the respective file is created, accessed, modified, designated for backup, or designated for synchronization.

15. A networked data storage system for synchronizing files between multiple client computers using location metadata, the system comprising:
a first client computing device;
a second client computing device;
at least one first primary storage device associated with the first client computing device;
at least one second primary storage device associated with the second client computing device;
one or more secondary storage devices; and
computer hardware comprising one or more computer processors and having a synchronization agent executing thereon, the synchronization agent configured to:
access synchronization criteria for identifying files to synchronize betwee

Assignees

• Commvault Systems Inc

Inventors

• Vibhor Anand
• Mehta Bhavyan Bharatkumar
• Karandikar Amey Vijaykumar
• Gokhale Parag

Classifications

• H04L67/1097

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• G06F16/275

  Synchronous replication · CPC title

• G06F16/178 Primary

  Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems · CPC title

• G06F11/1451

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• H04L67/1095

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title