Method and apparatus for synchronization of items in a cloud-based environment

A method for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace hosted by a cloud-based platform via a client application of the platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a client application of the collaborator, the item for synchronization with the platform;
• determining whether, for the collaborator, the item is subject to modification locally at a device associated with the client application;
• selectively protecting the item by locking the item at the client application of the collaborator when the item is modified by the collaborator, wherein the selectively protecting prevents modification of the item by the collaborator;
• and
• receiving, at the client application, an instruction from the cloud-based platform to delete the item, wherein the instruction is sent from the cloud-based platform to the client application based on the cloud-based platform determining the collaborator has been removed from a class of users having permission for downloading the item.

A server for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace of a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• identify, at a server associated with the cloud-based platform, an update to an item by a first collaborator in the workspace;
• receive an instruction to synchronize the item with a second collaborator;
• determine whether, for the second collaborator, the item subject to modification locally at a device associated with a client application;
• verify, at the server, if the second collaborator has permission for downloading the item based on the second collaborator being a member of a class having permission to download items from the workspace;
• upon determining that the second collaborator has the permission for downloading the item:
• send the updated item from the server to the client application of the second collaborator;
• synchronize the updated item between the cloud-based platform and the client application of the second collaborator;
• and
• upon determining that the second collaborator has been removed from the class having permission to download items from the workspace, sending from the cloud-based platform an instruction to the client application that causes the device associated with the client application of the second collaborator to delete the item.

A device for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace of a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive, at a client application of the collaborator, the item for synchronization with the platform;
• determine whether, for the collaborator, the item is subject to modification locally at a device associated with the client application;
• selectively protect the item by locking the item at the client of the collaborator when the item is modified by the collaborator, wherein the selectively protecting prevents modifications of the item by the collaborator;
• and
• receive, at the client application, an instruction from the cloud-based platform to delete the item, wherein the instruction is sent from the cloud-based platform to the client application based on the cloud-based platform determining the collaborator has been removed from a class of users having permission for downloading the item.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors of a system, cause the system to:

• identify, at a server associated with a cloud-based platform, an update to the item by a first collaborator in a workspace;
• in response to identifying the update to the item, receive an instruction to synchronize the item stored in the workspace with a second collaborator;
• determine whether, for the second collaborator, the item is subject to modification locally at a device associated with a client application;
• verify, at the server, if the second collaborator has permission for downloading the item based on the second collaborator being a member of a class having permission to download items from the workspace;
• upon determining that the second collaborator has the permission for downloading the item:
• sending the item from the server to the client application of the second collaborator;
• synchronizing the updated item between the cloud-based platform and the client application of the second collaborator;
• and
• upon determining that the second collaborator has been removed from the class having permission to download items from the workspace, sending from the server an instruction to the client application that causes the device associated with the client application of the second collaborator to delete the item.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors of a system, cause the system to:

• receive, at a client application of a collaborator, an item for synchronization with a cloud-based platform, the item being stored in a workspace hosted by the cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and the collaborator;
• determine whether, for the collaborator, the item is subject to modification locally at a device associated with the client application;
• selectively protect the item by locking the item at the client application of the collaborator when the item is modified by the collaborator, wherein the selectively protecting prevents modification of the item by the collaborator;
• and
• receive, at the client application, an instruction from the cloud-based platform to delete the item, wherein the instruction is sent from the cloud-based platform to the client application based on the cloud-based platform determining the collaborator has been removed from a class of users having permission for downloading the item.