System and method for globally and securely accessing unified information in a computer network

Abstract

A client stores a first set of workspace data, and is coupled via a computer network to a global server. The client may be configured to synchronize portions of the first set of workspace data with the global server, which stores independently modifiable copies of the portions. The global server may also store workspace data which is not downloaded from the client, and thus stores a second set of workspace data. The global server may be configured to identify and authenticate a user seeking global server access from a remote terminal, and is configured to provide access to the first set or to the second set. Further, services may be stored anywhere in the computer network. The global server may be configured to provide the user with access to the services. The system may further include a synchronization-start module at the client site (which may be protected by a firewall) that initiates interconnection and synchronization with the global server when predetermined criteria have been satisfied.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to computer networks, and more particularly, to a system and method for globally and securely accessing unified information in computer networks. Background technique [0002] The Internet currently connects about 100,000 computer networks and millions of computers. Each of these computers hosts a large number of applications and provides a large number of services, such as generating, sending and receiving e-mail, accessing World Wide Web sites, generating and receiving fax documents, storing and retrieving data, and so on. [0003] Roaming users, users who travel and access a workstation remotely, are facing several problems. Programmers have developed communication technologies that enable roaming users to establish a communication connection and download required information and service applications from a remote workstation to a local computer. Using these technologies, a roaming user can process data on a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, since each web engine uses a different format and stores bookmarks in different files, these bookmarks are not interchangeable

Also, one web engine may store a required bookmark while others may not

For example, a user who runs the Internet Explorer web engine at home and the Netscape Navigator web engine at work may run the risk of having inconsistent bookmarks on each address

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