Content management across shared, mobile file systems

A method for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the method comprising the acts of:

• managing one or more file systems;
• determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, including the characteristics of the content on the file system;
• and
• generating and maintaining a cached representation of the content of the managed file systems, the cached representation being capable of being transparently interacted with by the user on the user device.

A method for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the method comprising the acts of:

• managing one or more file systems;
• determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, the characteristics of the file system including an authorization structure and authentication information;
• and
• generating and maintaining a cached representation of the authorization structure and authentication information, the cached representation being capable of authorizing and authenticating the user on the user device.

A content management system having one or more shared file systems located on one or more networks having a firewall, the content management system comprising:

• an explorer client for forming a profile of a user device, the profile being formed by determining the characteristics of the user device;
• a mounting client for determining capabilities of the one or more file systems and where content resides on each of the one or more file systems;
• and
• a gateway for creating a virtual abstraction layer, the gateway is in communication with both the explorer client and the mounting client, the gateway utilizing the profile of the user device and the capabilities of the one or more file systems when creating the virtual abstraction layer.

A content management system for devices having an intermittent mobile connection across a firewall, the content management system comprising:

• an explorer client for forming a profile of a user device, the profile being formed by determining the characteristics of the user device;
• a mounting client for determining capabilities of one or more file systems and a layout of content on the one or more file systems;
• and
• a gateway for generating and maintaining a cached representation of the content of the one or more file systems, the cached representation being generated from the layout of content on the one or more file systems communicated to the gateway by the mounting client.

An article of manufacture for managing content across shared file systems located on networks having a firewall, the article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform the steps of:
• a) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from one or more of file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• b) determining the characteristics of the networks including the current speed, capacity, and type of networks, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• c) determining the characteristics of the file systems that contain the requested content;
• and
• d) creating a virtual abstraction layer based on the characteristics of the user device, the networks, and the file systems, the virtual abstraction layer providing the content from the shared file systems to the user device such that the view to the user is the same as if that content was local to the user device.

An article of manufacture for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform the steps of:
• a) managing one or more file systems;
• b) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• c) determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• d) determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, including the characteristics of the content on the file systems;
• and
• e) generating and maintaining a cached representation of the content of the managed file systems, the cached representation being capable of being transparently interacted with by the user on the user device.

An article of manufacture for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform the steps of:
• a) managing one or more file system;
• b) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• c) determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• d) determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, the characteristics of the file system including an authorization structure and authentication information;
• and
• e) generating and maintaining a cached representation of the authorization structure and authentication information, the cached representation being capable of authorizing and authenticating the user on the user device.

A system for managing content across shared file systems located on networks having a firewall, the system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a computer readable medium electronically coupled to said first processor;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause said first processor to perform the steps of:
• a) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from one or more of file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• b) determining the characteristics of the networks including the current speed, capacity, and type of networks, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• c) determining the characteristics of the file systems that contain the requested content;
• and
• d) creating a virtual abstraction layer based on the characteristics of the user device, the networks, and the file systems, the virtual abstraction layer providing the content from the shared file systems to the user device such that the view to the user is the same as if that content was local to the user device.

A system for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a computer readable medium electronically coupled to said first processor;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause said first processor to perform the steps of:
• a) managing one or more file systems;
• b) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• c) determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• d) determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, including the characteristics of the content on the file systems;
• and
• e) generating and maintaining a cached representation of the content of the managed file systems, the cached representation being capable of transparently interacted with by the user on the user device.

A system for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection having a firewall, the system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a computer readable medium electronically coupled to said first processor;
• and
• a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause said first processor to perform the steps of:
• a) managing one or more file system;
• b) determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• c) determining the characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection including the current speed, capacity, and type of the connection, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• d) determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, the characteristics of the file system including an authorization structure and authentication information;
• and
• e) generating and maintaining a cached representation of the authorization structure and authentication information, the cached representation being capable of being authorizing and authenticating the user on the user device.

A method for managing content across a shared file system located on a network having a firewall, the method comprising the acts of:

• determining the characteristics of a user device when a user of the user device requests content from the file system, the characteristics of the user device including the type of device, the amount of RAM and disk space available on the user device, and the operating system utilized by the user device;
• determining the network characteristics including the current speed, capacity, and type of the network, as well as any firewall properties or restrictions that might affect transmission;
• determining the characteristics of the file system;
• and
• creating a virtual abstraction layer based on the characteristics of the user device, the network, and the file system, the virtual abstraction layer providing the content from the shared file system to the user device such that the view to the user is the same as if that content was local to the user device.