System and method for optimized distributed file transfer

A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for optimized distribution of files from a file source location computer to computing devices in a network, the instructions comprising:

• determining a number of switches associated with the computing devices to receive the files;
• assigning a cost parameter to each switch based on at least one characteristic of each switch including a dedication level of each switch;
• connecting the computing devices to receive the files such that the computing devices are arranged in a tree structure with the file source location acting as a root node, wherein a position of each computing device in the tree is determined based on a computation of the cost parameters associated with the computing device, wherein connecting the computing devices to receive the files in the tree structure comprises:
• limiting the connects, for receiving the file at the first computing device, to a first connection between the file source and the first computing device, and
• limiting the connects, for transferring the file from the first computing device, to a second connection to the second computing device and a third connection to a third computing device;
• copying the files from the file source location computer to the computing devices through the tree structure in a recursive manner such that if a locked file is encountered in a computing device acting as a parent node, an error is issued and the locked file attempted to be copied again until another computing device acting as a child node to the computing device acting as the parent node notices that the computing device acting as the parent node has marked itself complete in a database for storing information associated with the tree structure, wherein copying the files from the file source location computer to the computing devices comprises simultaneously copying the files from the file source location computer to the computing devices, wherein the files are copied by trickling down the tree structure;
• and
• blocking subsequent copying operations on each computing device acting as the child node until other computing devices acting as child nodes have completed their copying operations.

A system for optimized distribution of files, comprising:

• a file server that is arranged to:
• receive the files from at least one of:
• another computing device through the network, user input, and a file storage database;
• transfer the files to requesting client devices, wherein the client devices are arranged to act as parent and child nodes in a binary tree structure for copying the files from the file server to the client devices through the tree structure in a recursive manner such that if a locked file is encountered in a client device acting as a parent node, an error is issued and the locked file attempted to be copied again until another client device acting as a child node to the client device acting as the parent node notices that the client device acting as the parent node has marked itself complete in a database for storing information associated with the tree structure, wherein copying the files from the file server to the client devices comprises the file server being connected to at most three client devices, wherein copying the files comprises simultaneously copying the files from the file server to the client devices, wherein the files are copied by trickling down the tree structure;
• assign a cost parameter to each network switch associated with each client device based on at least one characteristic of the network switch, wherein the cost parameter is assigned based on how the network switch is;
• and
• form the binary tree structure such that a position of each client device in the binary tree structure is determined based on a computation of the cost parameters associated with a link between a transferring and a receiving client device, wherein client devices connected to the same switch have a lower cost than client devices not connected to the same switch;
• at least one client device, but no more than two client devices that are arranged to:
• register to request a transfer of the files;
• receive a unique identifier and a location to receive the files from;
• and
• report a completion of the transfer of the files upon receiving all of the files.