Accounting for references between a client and server that use disparate e-mail storage formats

A method, comprising:

• operating an e-mail application program on a client database that uses a different storage format than a server database for storing records associated with the e-mail application program, wherein the client database is organized as a hierarchical database;
• ascertaining server identification keys from records received from the server database, wherein the server database is organized as a flat database, the server identification keys uniquely identifying the records;
• and
• creating a mapping table that uses the server identification keys as a basis to synchronize a storage format in which a plurality of identical new client records corresponding to a record received from the server database are stored in the client database, wherein the identical new client records correspond to references to the record as stored in the server database, wherein the creating is performed in connection with at least one of storing, adding, modifying and deleting the records or the one or more new client records.

A method of operating a client, comprising:

• receiving a record at the client from a server associated with an e-mail application program, the record being stored according to a first storage format in a flat database on the server, the server containing a plurality of references with the record, the references corresponding to respective folders on the server from which the record can be viewed by a user;
• creating on the client new records corresponding to the references to the record as contained on the server, the new records on the client being identical with one another and having a further storage format that is different from the first storage format for storage on the client;
• storing the new records in a hierarchical database resident with the client in folders indicated by the plurality of references referencing the record on the server;
• and
• mapping the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the sewer to synchronize the first storage format with the further storage format.

A client, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to said processor;
• a display coupled to said processor;
• at least one input device coupled to said processor;
• an e-mail application program connector, coupled to said processor, for receiving a record that is stored on a server in a flat database in a first storage format, the server containing a plurality of references to the record, the references corresponding respectively to folders on the server from which the record is viewable by a user, the e-mail application program connector configured to create a plurality of new client records corresponding respectively to the references, the new client records being identical to one another and stored in a hierarchical database in a further storage format that is different than the first storage format, and the new client records corresponding to the received record and accommodating for the different storage format used by the client to maintain records than the server, and a mapping table, stored in the memory to synchronize the further storage format of the new records with the first storage format of the received record, in the event there are changes made to any of the new records or the received record.

A system, comprising:

• means for receiving a record from a server that is stored in a first storage format in a flat database, the record having a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from any other records on the server, wherein the record is viewable by a user in a plurality of folders on the server, and wherein the sewer contains references corresponding respectively to the folders on the server in which the record is viewable by the user;
• means for creating respective new client records corresponding to the references to the record as contained on the server, wherein the new client records are identical to one another and are stored in a hierarchical client database in a further storage format different than the first storage format;
• means for assigning client identification keys to the new client records;
• wherein the client identification keys uniquely identify the new client records;
• and
• means for synchronizing the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the client identification keys to the server identification key.

One or more computer-readable recording media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

• receive a record from a server that is stored in a first storage format in a flat server database, the record having a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from any other records on the server, wherein the record is viewable by a user in a plurality of folders on the server, and wherein the server includes references corresponding respectively to the folders on the server in which the record is viewable by the user;
• create new client records corresponding respectively to the references to the record on the server, wherein the new client records created for the record are identical to one another, and wherein the new client records are stored in a hierarchical client database in a further storage format different than the first storage format,
• assign client identification keys to the new client records;
• wherein the client identification keys uniquely identify the new client records;
• and
• synchronize the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the client identification keys to the server identification key.

One or more computer-readable recording media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

• operate an e-mail application program on a client database that uses a different storage format than a server database for storing records associated with the e-mail application program, wherein the client database is organized as a hierarchical database;
• ascertain server identification keys from records received from the server database, wherein the server database is organized as a flat database, the server identification keys uniquely identifying the records;
• and
• create a mapping table that uses the server identification key as a basis to synchronize a storage format in which a plurality of identical new client records corresponding to a record received from the server database are stored in the client database, wherein the identical new client records correspond to references to the record as stored in the server database, wherein the creating is performed in connection with at least one of storing, adding, modifying and deleting the records or the one or more new client records.

One or more computer-readable recording media having stared thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

• receive a record at a client from a sewer associated with an e-mail application program, the record being stored according to a first storage format in a flat database on the server and having one or more references indicating folders on the server from which the record can be viewed by a user, wherein the record is referenced by a plurality of references contained in different ones of the folders;
• create new client records corresponding respectively to the references, the new client records being in a further storage format different than the first storage format for storage on the client;
• store the one or more new identical records in a hierarchical database resident with the client in folders indicated by the plurality of references referencing the record on the server;
• and
• map the one or more corresponding new identical records to the record received from the server to synchronize the first storage format with the further storage format.