Double-proxy remote data access system

A method for enabling access to a data resource, which is held on a file server on a first local area network (LAN), by a client on a second LAN, the method comprising:

• retrieving a replica of the data resource from the file server to a proxy transmitter on the first LAN;
• conveying the replica of the data resource over a wide area network (WAN) from the proxy transmitter to a cache held by a proxy receiver on the second LAN;
• intercepting at the proxy receiver a file system request for the data resource submitted by the client over the second LAN;
• checking the cache to determine whether the replica of the data resource is present in the cache and valid;
• and
• responsive to the file system request and to determining that the replica is present and valid, serving the replica of the data resource from the cache of the proxy receiver to the client over the second LAN,
• wherein intercepting the request comprises intercepting a group of one or more requests for first data resources on the file server, and comprising analyzing a pattern of the group of requests, and retrieving replicas of one or more second data resources from the proxy transmitter to the cache of the proxy receiver, responsive to the pattern, and
• wherein retrieving the replicas of the one or more second data resources comprises analyzing a relation of an available bandwidth of the WAN to an expected usage of the replicas of the second data resources at the proxy receiver, and determining, responsive to the relation, when to retrieve a replica of the second data resource.

Apparatus for enabling access to a data resource, which is held on a file server on a first local area network (LAN), by a client on a second LAN, the apparatus comprising:

• a proxy transmitter, which is located on the first LAN, and which is adapted to retrieve a replica of the data resource from the file server, and to transmit the replica of the data resource over a wide area network (WAN) to the second LAN;
• and
• a proxy receiver, which is located on the second LAN and comprises a cache, and which is adapted to receive the replica of the data resource from the proxy transmitter to the cache, to intercept a file system request for the data resource submitted by the client over the second LAN, to check the cache to determine whether the replica of the data resource is present in the cache and valid, and, responsive to the file system request and to determining that the replica is present and valid, to serve the replica of the data resource from the cache to the client over the second LAN,
• wherein the proxy receiver is adapted to intercept a group of one or more requests for first data resources on the file server, to analyze a pattern of the group of requests, and to retrieve replicas of one or more second data resources from the proxy transmitter to the cache, responsive to the pattern, and
• wherein the proxy receiver is adapted to calculate for each of the second data resources on the file server a relation of an expected usage of the replicas of the second data resources at the proxy receiver to an expected modification rate of the second data resources at the file server, and to retrieve the replicas from the proxy transmitter to the cache, responsive to the calculation.

Apparatus for enabling access to a data resource, which is held on a file server on a first local area network (LAN), by a client on a second LAN, the apparatus comprising:

• a proxy transmitter, which is located on the first LAN, and which is adapted to retrieve a replica of the data resource from the file server, and to transmit the replica of the data resource over a wide area network (WAN) to the second LAN;
• and
• a proxy receiver, which is located on the second LAN and comprises a cache, and which is adapted to receive the replica of the data resource from the proxy transmitter to the cache, to intercept a file system request for the data resource submitted by the client over the second LAN, to check the cache to determine whether the replica of the data resource is present in the cache and valid, and, responsive to the file system request and to determining that the replica is present and valid, to serve the replica of the data resource from the cache to the client over the second LAN,
• wherein the proxy receiver is adapted to intercept a group of one or more requests for first data resources on the file server, to analyze a pattern of the group of requests, and to retrieve replicas of one or more second data resources from the proxy transmitter to the cache, responsive to the pattern, and
• wherein the proxy receiver is adapted to analyze a relation of an available bandwidth of the WAN to an expected usage of the replicas of the second data resources at the proxy receiver, and to determine, responsive to the relation, when to retrieve a replica of the second data resource.