Patent ID: 7412447
Filing Date: 2008-08-12
Classification: G06F,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for managing access to files and sharing of files between users from remote client devices, the method comprising: receiving an identifier from a first user of a first client device to an access server, the access server located behind a firewall in a network; determining a remote file source associated with the identifier, the remote file source being part of the network; generating a list of recently used files associated with the file source and the identifier, the recently used files having been accessed previously by the first user of the first client device; presenting an interface enabling access to the list of recently used files by using the first client device; receiving, from the first user of the first client device, a request to share a file from the list with a second user at a second client device wherein the second user and second client device are outside of the firewall of the network of the remote file source and the access server; generating a proxy representation of the file on the access server, the proxy representation including a file identifier and a set of credentials for the first user that initiated the request to share the file; transmitting a link to the second user of the second client device in response to the request to share the file, wherein the link references at least one of: a cached copy of the file stored on the access server and the file identified by the file identifier; and accessing the link by the second user of the second client device wherein the accessing causes the access server to provide access to the cached copy of the file if the cached copy is stored on the access server, otherwise provide access directly to the file identified by the file identifier by using the credentials for the first user.