Synchronization peer participant model

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

• receive a request from a participant to perform a synchronization operation using a synchronization engine;
• determine a type for the participant, the type being selected from the group consisting of a full participant type, a partial participant type, and a simple participant type;
• wherein the participant is determined to be the simple participant type if it has a simple participant data store and no knowledge;
• wherein the participant is determined to be the partial participant type if it has a partial participant data store and stored-but-not-understood knowledge;
• wherein the participant is determined to be the full participant type if it has a full participant data store and stored-and-understood knowledge;
• and
• wherein the synchronization engine performs the synchronization operation with the participant using a set of logic that is appropriate for the type of participant.

A method for synchronizing data comprising the steps of:

• providing a simple participant, the simple participant having a data store and no knowledge store, the data store being operable to store a set of data provided during a synchronization process with a full participant, and wherein the simple participant is not responsible for tracking what changes the simple participant makes to the set of data in the data store;
• receiving a request from a user of the simple participant to change a particular record in the set of data in the data store;
• and
• updating the particular record in the data store upon receiving the request from the user.