Method and system for differential distributed data file storage, management and access

A method for utilizing files across a network using a client comprising:

• receiving a differential file request for a file;
• storing, a client local copy of at least one version of the file, wherein at least one version includes a base version associated with a literal base section;
• determining if a file update is required;
• and
• if required, receiving a file update.

A system for providing access to a file across a network using a differential file server comprising:

• a differential file server having a data processor connected to a differential file client using a network;
• a storage device connected to the data processor;
• the storage device storing a logic program;
• and
• the data processor operative with the logic program to perform:
• receiving a differential file request for a file having a primary copy on a server connected to the differential file server;
• storing, a differential file server local copy of at least one version of the file, wherein at least one version includes a base version associated with a literal base section;
• updating the differential file server local copy using a delta section if required;
• determining if a file transmission is necessary;
• and
• transmitting the required differential portions of the file.

A system for utilizing files across a network using a client comprising:

• a client having a data processor connected to a network;
• a storage device connected to the data processor;
• the storage device storing a logic program;
• and
• the data processor operative with the logic program to perform:
• receiving a differential file request for a file;
• storing, a client local copy of at least one version of the file, wherein at least one version includes a base version associated with a literal base section;
• determining if a file update is required;
• and
• if required, receiving a file update

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code means including:
• means for receiving a differential file request for a file having a primary copy on a server connected to the differential file server;
• means for storing, a differential file server local copy of at least one version of the file, wherein at least one version includes a base version associated with a literal base section;
• means for updating the differential file server local copy using a delta section if required;
• means for determining if a file transmission is necessary;
• and
• means for transmitting the required differential portions of the file.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code means including:
• means for receiving a differential file request for a file;
• means for storing, a client local copy of at least one version of the file, wherein at least one version includes a base version associated with a literal base section;
• means for determining if a file update is required;
• and
• means for receiving a file update if required.

A system for efficiently servicing a client-originated file system request, the system comprising:

• a client computer operating under an operating system adapted to utilize one or more network file-system clients, the client computer being operably connected to a first local network;
• a server computer operating network file-system server, the server computer being operably connected to a second local network;
• a cache server having a cache and being operably connected to the first local network and a wide area network;
• a gateway server operably connected to the second local network and the wide area network;
• at least one of the one or more network file-system clients being adapted to make a client-originated file system requests;
• the network file-system server being adapted to service file system requests;
• the cache server being adapted to receive the client-originated file system request from the at least one of the one or more network file-system clients, and in response thereto, servicing the request by
• first determining what information, if any, is not current and present in the cache but would be required to service the client-originated file system request,
• then, if any information is determined to be required, update the information by tunneling one or more wide area requests over the wide area network to the gateway server;
• and
• then responding to the client-originated file system request;
• and
• the gateway server being adapted to receive and process the one or more wide area requests tunneled over the wide area network from the cache server, and in response thereto,
• generating one or more gateway-originated file system requests corresponding to the one or more wide area requests on the second local network, thereby updating the information;
• and
• tunneling the updated information to the cache server over the wide area network.

A system for efficiently servicing a file system request, the system comprising:

• a client computer operating under an operating system adapted to utilize one or more network file-system clients, the client computer being operably connected to a wide area network;
• a server computer operating network file-system server, the server computer being operably connected to a local network;
• a gateway server operably connected to the local network and the wide area network;
• the network file-system server being adapted to service gateway-originated file system requests;
• a software cache server operating on the client computer, the software cache server having a cache and being adapted to act as one of the one or more network file-system clients, the software cache server being further adapted to receive a file system request from the operating system, and in response thereto, servicing the file system request by
• first determining what information, if any, is not current and present in the cache but would be required to service the file system request,
• then, if any information is determined to be required, updating the information by tunneling one or more wide area requests over the wide area network to the gateway server;
• and
• then responding to the file system request;
• and
• the gateway server being adapted to receive and process the one or more wide area requests tunneled over the wide area network from the cache server, and in response thereto,
• generating one or more gateway-originated file system requests corresponding to the one or more wide area requests on the second local network, thereby updating the information;
• and
• tunneling the information to the cache server over the wide area network.