Patent ID: 8825606
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of restoring computer files, the method comprising: detecting a first file access event involving access of a first file in a first user computer, the first file access event comprising modification of the first file; the first user computer reporting a first file activity data to a remotely located file history server computer, the first file activity data including information on the first file access event and information on the first file, wherein the information on the first file access event includes a hash of the first file; the file history server computer storing the first file activity data in a file history database that is remotely located from the first user computer and a second user computer; in response to detecting that the first file is being modified in the first user computer, consulting the remotely located file history database to determine whether or not the first file has a duplicate available from another computer; receiving a first result of consulting the remotely located file history database; based on the first result indicating that the first file has a duplicate available from another computer, not making a backup copy of the first file before modifying the first file; detecting a second file access event involving access of a second file in the second user computer; the second user computer reporting a second file activity data to the file history server computer, the second file activity data including information on the second file access event and information on the second file; the file history server computer storing the second file activity data in the remotely located file history database; in response to detecting that the second file is being modified in the second computer, consulting the remotely located file history database to determine whether or not the second file has a duplicate available from another computer; receiving a second result of consulting the remotely located file history database; based on the second result indicating that the second file does not have a duplicate available from another computer, making a backup copy of the second file before modifying the second file; detecting in the first user computer that the first file has been damaged; the first user computer consulting the file history server computer to determine a location of a duplicate of the first file; the file history server computer informing the first user computer that the second user computer has the duplicate of the first file; the first user computer requesting the second user computer for the duplicate of the first file; the first user computer receiving the duplicate of the first file from the second user computer; and the first user computer restoring the first file using the duplicate of the first file received from the second user computer.