Policy-Based Hydration in Cloud Storage Sync

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cloud storage synchronization systems often result in undesirable delays or application crashes when attempting to open large cloud-stored files over slower connections, as they require full file download and hydration, which can degrade user experience and lead to crashes, especially on devices with limited resources or sensitive data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing policy-based hydration behavior in cloud storage synchronization, where user intent and defined policies determine whether to redirect or block file hydration, allowing selective and dynamic control over synchronization, thereby avoiding unnecessary downloads and ensuring secure data handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If full file hydration is performed for cloud stored files, then complete file access is enabled, but user experience degrades due to delays and potential application crashes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile access completenessVSAvoidopen operation delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial hydration by downloading only the specific portions of files that are actually needed for the current operation, rather than hydrating entire files. This allows the system to provide complete file access for the needed portions while avoiding the time penalty of downloading unnecessary data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The file access process is segmented into identifying needed portions and downloading only those specific segments. The system divides the file access task into manageable parts (specific portions required by the application) and handles each segment independently through targeted downloads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If full file hydration is performed, then complete file access is enabled, but bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile access completenessVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If file hydration is performed on all devices, then universal access is enabled, but security is compromised for sensitive data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice access flexibilityVSAvoiddata security risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different hydration policies to different files and devices based on their security requirements. Sensitive files are marked with attributes that prevent automatic hydration, while non-sensitive files follow standard hydration procedures. This allows universal access flexibility for appropriate files while maintaining security for sensitive data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The hydration behavior is made dynamic and adjustable based on file attributes, device characteristics, and security policies. The system can adapt its hydration strategy in real-time, switching between full hydration, partial hydration, and no hydration based on the specific context and security requirements of each file-access scenario.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3516544B1Policy based hydration behavior in cloud storage synchronization

Publication Date: 2022.06.22 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

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AI summary

Policy based hydration behavior in cloud storage synchronization is provided. In some examples, user intent and defined policy or policies may be examined by a synchronization engine to determine when a synchronization should be aborted and instead redirected to viewing the requested file from the cloud, thereby avoiding the download. The synchronization engine may include a web interface with the ability to display and edit different types of files in this fashion. In addition to redirecting to the cloud, hydration may be blocked entirely in other examples. In a further example, a selective synchronization dialog may be launched to allow the user specify select action(s). A policy that dictates the hydration behavior may be persisted and updated as needed. To implement the policy, required operations on the local machine may be intercepted.