Transient storage in distributed collaborative computing environments

A system for managing and tracking content files in a distributed collaborative computing environment comprising:

• a central directory server for receiving only content descriptor data in response to a content file being saved on a portable storage device, wherein the content descriptor data comprises administrative data pertaining to the content file, and wherein the content descriptor data is generated by a transient storage application stored on the portable storage device;
• a content descriptor database for storing the content descriptor data pertaining to the content file stored on the portable storage device that is associable with a remote computing device, wherein the portable storage device is transient and movable for association with another computing device in the distributed collaborative computing environment, and the portable storage device, along with a plurality of other portable storage devices, are each movable and associable with a different remote computing device, and collectively serve as a system storage device for the distributed collaborative computing environment, and wherein only the content descriptor data is stored in the content descriptor database;
• and
• a module to add the content descriptor data to a central directory registry of content descriptor data for other content files being managed and tracked, wherein the central directory registry is accessible to at least one remote computing device within the distributed collaborative computing environment such that the at least one remote computing device can locate and obtain a copy of the content file.

A computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith for managing and tracking content files in a distributed collaborative computing environment, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

• computer usable program code configured to receive only content descriptor data at a central directory server in response to a content file being saved on a portable storage device, wherein the content descriptor data comprises administrative data pertaining to the content files wherein the content descriptor data is generated by a transient storage application stored on the portable storage device;
• computer usable program code configured to store the content descriptor data pertaining to the content file stored on the portable storage device that is associable with a remote computing device, wherein the portable storage device is transient and movable for association with another computing device in the distributed collaborative computing environment, and the portable storage device, along with a plurality of other portable storage devices, are each movable and associable with a different remote computing device, and collectively serve as a system storage device for the distributed collaborative computing environment, and wherein only the content descriptor data is stored at the central directory server;
• and
• computer usable program code configured to add the content descriptor data to a central directory registry of content descriptor data for other content files being managed and tracked, wherein the central directory registry is accessible to at least one remote computing device within the distributed collaborative computing environment such that the at least one remote computing device can locate and obtain a copy of the content file.