Alex Chee Daniel LaBare Mike Oster John Spann Bryan Unbangluang Collaborative Document Sharing In Conjunction With

2 Scenario Alex and Bryan are working together to create a report and presentation. Alex needs to reference information within Bryan’s document, which is still in development. Problem: –How do both Alex and Bryan work with the most up-to-date versions of each other’s files at the same time?

3 Current Solutions Distribute copies via , CD, USB Flash Drive, etc. Set up a LAN Set up a VPN for offsite access 3rd Party –FolderShare –TubesNow –BeInSync

4 Drawbacks Conflicts –With multiple versions, which one is the most up-to- date? File Size Limitations Complex Setup and Interface Limited by Locality Other 3rd Party Solutions - $$$ –Centralized storage –Limitations on transfers/number of folders –Not meant for collaboration

5 Project Goals Conflict Prevention –Restrict modifications of a single file by multiple users No File or Total Shared Size Limit –The only limit is the size of the HD Web Based –Work over any Internet Connection

6 Project Goals Decentralized Storage –No single point of failure –Files are as secure as the client machines –Minimize Server Bandwidth by deferring file distribution to Peers Ease of Use –Unobtrusive interface that blends seamlessly with Windows Explorer

7 Definitions Team –A group of Peers sharing a Folder –Folder resides locally on your computer Peers –Other computers you are sharing with Server –Tracks Changes and Coordinates Teams –Stores no Files, only File Information

How it Works 1 23 Computer 1 Creates a new Team Informs Server of the Team Computer 2 Joins the Team Receives Peer information Requests Files from Computer 1 Computer 3 Joins the Team Receives Peer information Requests Files from Computers 1 and 2

Our Solution Conflict Prevention –Utilize a Check-in/Check-out Model Ensures a file can only be modified by one computer at a time Check-in distributes latest revision to the team –Team and File based revision numbers Tracks changes and determines need to synchronize –Only a single Up-To-Date version across all team member computers

10 Our Solution Peer-to-Peer File Distribution –Eases the bandwidth load off the central server Increases Scalability –Local Storage of files. No files stored on the central server As secure as the client machine No single point of failure –File synchronization is distributed amongst Peers Multiple locations to synchronize from

11 Our Solution Web Based Website Check-in, Check-out, Delete Emergency Download –ThinkFree - 3rd Party Web Based Document Viewer Currently in Development Allows Microsoft Office Documents to be displayed within a website

12 Scenario Revisited How would solve Alex and Bryan’s problems?

Use Case Alex and Bryan are members of the same team Bryan checks in his latest changes to the Report Alex receives the changes and updates the presentation and checks them in Alex and Bryan’s boss requests to see the presentation while out of the office

Synchronize users local files –Seamless and effortless synchronization –No need for a repository server Check-in/Check-out model –Allows for offline editing –Prevents file conflicts Web access –Platform independent –Remote viewing/downloading

15 Future Plans NAT and Firewall Traversal Native Mac and Linux Support Improve File Distribution Protocol –BitTorrent-esque Persistent Client-Server Connections –Remove 30-second Polling Web based Uploads ThinkFree Editing and More...

16 What We Learned Programmed within many new frameworks and implemented multiple new APIs: –Ruby on Rails –Windows Platform SDK –Windows COM –ATL

17 What We Learned Team Communication is Difficult –The Importance of WRITTEN Documentations and Specifications Resource Distribution and Time Management The Value of Version Control

18 Thanks Corporate Sponsor - –Bernd Christiansen –Albert Alexandrov Professors and TA –Tevfik Bultan –Rich Wolski –Chris Coakley

Questions?

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