Peer-to-peer email content replication and synchronization

A computer server in a computing system having multiple client devices interconnected by a computer network to one another and to the computer server, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
• upon receiving, from a first client device, a synchronization request to synchronize an email between the computer server and a first client device;
• and
• query a database having content records to determine whether a copy of email content of the email is already present on any of the multiple client devices;
• and
• in response to determining that a copy of the email content of the email is present at a second client device, transmit, to the first client device, data representing a replicate identification of the email content and identification of the second client device and an instruction to the first client device to retrieve a copy of the email content corresponding to the replicate identification via a peer-to-peer communications channel between the first and second client devices, without transmitting a copy of the email content from the computer server to the first client device.

A method of peer-to-peer email synchronization in a computing system with multiple client devices and an email server interconnected by a computer network, the method comprising:

• transmitting, from a first client device to the email server, a synchronization request to synchronize an email between the email server and the first client device;
• and
• receiving, at the first client device, a reply from the email server, the reply containing data representing:
• a replicate identification of email content of the email and identification of a second client device at which a copy of the email content is present;
• and
• an instruction to retrieve a copy of the email content corresponding to the replicate identification via a peer-to-peer communications channel between the first and second client devices;
• and
• in response to receiving the reply,
• establishing a peer-to-peer communications channel with the second client device;
• downloading a copy of the email content of the email from the second client device instead of the email server;
• and
• rendering and surfacing the downloaded email content in an email client on the first client device to a user.