Diversified file transfer

A method of a file transfer, comprising at a server:

• receiving a file transfer plan to upload a file from a client, the file transfer plan specifies file transfer resources which are available at the client, the file transfer plan specifies a respective flexible segment size of each of a plurality of data segments of the file, wherein the flexible segment size can be different for each data segment in the file based on corresponding weighted average duration of data segment transfer at a corresponding predetermined time slot;
• determining file transfer resources which are available at the server which conform to the file transfer resources specified by the client in the file transfer plan;
• creating a postbox based on the file transfer plan with the determined file transfer resources and that specifies a location to receive the plurality of data segments, for receipt at the server of the file;
• communicating, to the client, information identifying the postbox and the file transfer resources which are available at the server;
• and
• executing a file transfer process specified in the file transfer plan, to receive the plurality of data segments of the file to the location specified by the postbox.

A method of a file transfer, comprising

• at a client:
• in a data preparation step, determining file transfer resources, at different predetermined time slots, which are available at the client including network baselining the client during operation of the client;
• in a data modeling step, based on the network baselining, automatically generating a model indicating at least an order of preference of a plurality of different predetermined time slots;
• in a planning step:
• determining, based on the client model, a plurality of data segments into which a file is to be segmented and a respective flexible segment size of each of the data segments and a corresponding plurality of the predetermined time slots based on expected transfer duration for a respective time slot of the predetermined time slots, and communicating a file transfer plan to upload the file to a server, the file transfer plan specifies the plurality of data segments, the respective flexible segment size of each of the data segments, and the determined file transfer resources which are available at the client, wherein the flexible segment size can be different for each of the plurality of data segments in the file and is determined based on corresponding weighted average duration of data segment transfer at the corresponding predetermined time slot;
• receiving an acknowledgement of the file transfer plan which includes information identifying a postbox for receipt at the server of the file and which identifies file transfer resources which are available at the server;
• executing a file transfer process specified in the file transfer plan, based on the file transfer resources which are available at the server and at the client, to upload the plurality of data segments of the file to a respective location specified by the postbox at the predetermined time slots;
• at the server:
• receiving the file transfer plan to upload the file from the client, the file transfer plan specifies the file transfer resources which are available at the client, the file transfer plan specifies the respective flexible segment size of each of the plurality of data segments of the file, wherein the flexible segment size can be different for each data segment in the file based on corresponding weighted average duration of data segment transfer at the corresponding predetermined time slot;
• determining file transfer resources which are available at the server which conform to the file transfer resources specified by the client in the file transfer plan;
• creating the postbox based on the file transfer plan with the determined file transfer resources and that specifies a location to receive the plurality of data segments, for receipt at the server of the file;
• communicating, to the client, information identifying the postbox and the file transfer resources which are available at the server;
• and
• executing the file transfer process specified in the file transfer plan, to receive the plurality of data segments of the file to the location specified by the postbox.