Abstract:
A first computer receives a first message that includes an electronic attachment from a second computer over a communications network. The first computer saves the electronic attachment in a storage device. The first computer removes the electronic attachment from the first message. The first computer adds a link to the first message; wherein the link permits access to download the saved electronic attachment. The first computer sends to a third computer the first message including the link that permits access to download the saved electronic attachment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of communication workload, and more particularly to processing emails that contain attachments. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    One of the reasons for the proliferation of email as a means of communication has been the ability to attach documents. In general, any document in any format can be sent to nearly any part of the world. As email is increasingly utilized as a medium for collaboration and document exchange, the underlying cost associated with sending an email has proportionately increased as administration, bandwidth, and storage costs rise. A major cause of this cost is email attachments, which can make up more than 85% of all email data. It has been estimated that approximately 20% of all emails contain attachments, while as much as 92% of email resources are consumed by attachments. 
         [0003]    Test results have demonstrated that as emails with attachments pass through email servers the average processing loads on the email servers are substantially higher for emails with attachments when compared to emails without attachments. As more emails with attachments are sent out, the server load levels may proportionately increase. In many cases, out of the total number of email attachments, many of documents are not original documents, but rather revisions or duplicates. Often, it can be challenging to collate numerous versions of an attachment together to form a final version. In addition, at any given time, none of the recipients are guaranteed to have the latest version of the attachment. 
         [0004]    In a world of heightened security, email attachments can represent a point of vulnerability for many document security plans. Once shared, an attachment can become a type of public property where the recipients are able to do whatever they want with the attachment. In general, the sender of an attachment has little control over the access rights to the attachment, neither can the sender control what the recipients can do with the attachment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for minimizing a workload on a communications network. A first computer receives a first message from a second computer over a communications network, wherein the first message includes an electronic attachment. The first computer saves the electronic attachment in a storage device. The first computer removes the electronic attachment from the first message. The first computer adds a link to the first message; wherein the link permits access to download the saved electronic attachment. The first computer sends to a third computer the first message including the link that permits access to download the saved electronic attachment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a communication network environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates operational steps of an attachment managing program, on a computing device within the communication network environment of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a block diagram of components of the computing device executing the attachment managing program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium(s) having computer readable program code/instructions embodied thereon. 
         [0010]    Any combination of computer-readable media may be utilized. Computer-readable media may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of a computer-readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0011]    A computer-readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer-readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may be any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0012]    Program code embodied on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
         [0013]    Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java™, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on a user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0014]    Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0015]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0016]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0017]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the Figures.  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a communication network environment, generally designated  100 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0018]    Communication network environment  100  includes computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140 , all interconnected over network  130 . 
         [0019]    In this exemplary embodiment, attachment managing program  115  and source data  118  are stored on computing device  110 . However, in other embodiments, attachment managing program  115  and source data  118  may be stored externally and accessed through a communication network  130 . The communication network can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or a combination of the two, and may include wired, wireless, fiber optic or any other connection known in the art. In general, the communication network can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140  in accordance with a desired embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0020]    In various embodiments of the present invention, computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140  can be personal digital assistants (PDAs), a smart phones, servers, laptop computers, tablet computers, netbook computers, personal computers (PCs), or desktop computers. In another embodiment, computing device  110  represents a computing system utilizing clustered computers and components to act as a single pool of seamless resources. In general, computing device  110  can be any computing device or a combination of devices with the ability to access source data  118  and is capable of executing attachment managing program  115 . Computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140  may include internal and external hardware components, as depicted and described in further detail with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0021]    In this exemplary embodiment, computing device  110  sends emails that may include attachments to recipient computer  120 . Social media computer  140  acts, in general, as a data storage site for attachment data  148 . In exemplary embodiments, social media computer  140  is a social file sharing network that provides users with access to uploaded data, such as Lotus Live™. 
         [0022]    In exemplary embodiments, computing device  110  is configured to send emails with a link to a corresponding attachment that is attached to the email to recipient computer  120 . Furthermore, computing device  110  provides data, that corresponds to the attachment that is attached to the email, to social media computer  140  to be stored as attachment data  148 . The stored attachment data  148  can be accessed by recipient computer  120  after an email containing a link to the data has been received by recipient computer  120 . 
         [0023]    Attachment managing program  115  is a data management program that helps minimize the workload placed on communication networks due to email attachments. Attachment managing program  115  further operates to automatically upload data to a data storage site, establish an access control list for the uploaded data, and change, as needed, the access control list for the uploaded data stored in the data storage site. Attachment managing program  115  operates in conjunction with a data storage site (e.g., social media computer  140 ) and a program used for the creation and sending of emails. As emails containing links to data (attachments) are sent out, attachment managing program  115  passes the data (which is stored as source data  118  and associated with the link) to social media  140 . 
         [0024]    Attachment managing program  115  also passes updates to the data to social media  140  such that the data stored as attachment data  148  generally reflects the updates made to the data stored as source data  118 . In some embodiments, updates to the data stored as attachment data  148  can originate from the recipients of the email. In other embodiments, the functions of Attachment managing program  115  can be split between multiple programs operating on computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140 . 
         [0025]    The use of a link as to provide access to attachment data and/or access to an updated data of an attachment can substantially decrease the workload of many email based attachment sharing systems. Current attachment sharing approaches typically send a copy of an attachment to each listed recipient of the email and if an updated attachment is produced it is also sent to every recipient. By providing a link to an updatable file the workload, placed on the communications network, of sending attachments can be minimized. The attachment data is only sent to those who request the attachment data, i.e., by opening the link the attachment data is requested. 
         [0026]    For example, an email which lists  200  recipients is sent out with a link to an attachment. However, only  102  of those recipients open the link. The workload to provide the attachment data to the recipients has thus been reduced by 49% since 49% of the recipients did not request the data of the attachment. In another example the attachment is updated several times after the email containing the link was sent. However, instead of the data of the attachment being sent out to every recipient each time there is an update, the updated data of the attachment is only sent when requested via the link. By reducing the number of copies of an attachment (i.e., total amount of data sent) sent per email and/or per attachment update the workload placed on a given communication network is thus minimized. 
         [0027]    The utility of attachment managing program  115  is not limited to decreasing the workload of many email based attachment sharing systems. The automatic uploading of data to a data storage site, establishment of an access control list for the data, and updating the access control list for the uploaded data is also of substantial utility. Typically, in known art, as new files are uploaded to file sharing networks a new set of permissions for each recipient must be generated according to input supplied by a user, every time, for each new file. By automating the uploading of data and access to that data the amount of time and effort required on the part of a user can be substantially reduced. 
         [0028]    For example, if the user who owns the uploaded data has multiple audiences for the uploaded data, each audience can be added to the access control list associated with the data. As updates are made to the uploaded data, such as new documents being added to the uploaded data, the access control list associated with the data is automatically updated so each audience retains the appropriate level of access to the uploaded data. In a preferred embodiment, attachment managing program  115  can automatically apply a standard access control list for a given type of uploaded data such that a default set of permissions can be applied to any uploaded data of that type. Thus, attachment managing program  115  can reduce the time and effort required to provide recipients with access to uploaded data while retaining access control over the uploaded data. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart depicting operational steps of attachment managing program  115  for minimizing the workload placed on communication networks due to email attachments, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    Attachment managing program  115  identifies the creation of an email (step  205 ) and determines if there are any attachments associated with the email (determination step  210 ). If there are no files to be attached (determination step  210 , no branch) then attachment managing program  115  sends the email to the designated recipients (step  275 ). If there are files to be attached (determination step  210 , yes branch) then attachment managing program  115  searches for an indication that the data of the attachment has been stored in attachment data  148 . For example, attachment managing program  115  identifies the creation of an email on computing device  110  and checks the email for attachments. Attachment managing program  115  identifies five attachments associated with the email. Attachment managing program  115  retrieves a list of uploaded files that have been sent from computing device  110  to attachment data  148  and compares the attachments of the email to the list of uploaded files. 
         [0031]    Attachment managing program  115  identifies if the data of the attachment, including an updated versions of the data of the attachment, is stored in social media computer  140  (determination step  215 ). If attachment managing program  115  identifies that the data of the attachment, or an updated version of the data of the attachment, is not located on social media computer  140  (determination step  215 , no branch) then attachment managing program  115  identifies the data of the attachment in source data  118  (step  220 ) and initiates communication with social media computer  140  (step  225 ). After communication has been confirmed between computer  110  and social media computer  140  then the data of the attachment is passed from source data  118  to social media computer  140  where the data of the attachment is stored as attachment data  148  (step  230 ). 
         [0032]    If attachment managing program  115  is able to identify that the data of the attachment has already been passed to social media computer  140  by comparing the attachment to a list of data previously uploaded to social media computer  140  (determination step  215 , yes branch) then communication is initiated with social media computer  140  (step  235 ) and the appropriate data/files are identified from the data stored in attachment data  148  (step  240 ). For example, attachment managing program  115  identifies that the data of an updated attachment has already been passed to social media computer  140 . Attachment managing program  115  then searches attachment data  148  to confirm that the updated attachment data exists and is intact. 
         [0033]    After attachment managing program  115  has determined that the appropriate data/files are stored in source data  118  then it generates and includes a link (to the appropriate data/files stored in attachment data  148 ) in the email (step  245 ). Attachment managing program  115  accesses the list of recipients (step  250 ). Then attachment managing program  115  determines if an update is required for the recipients default access settings (authorization, access parameter) for the data associated with the link (determination step  255 ). For example, attachment managing program  115  compares the list of recipients with a list of access settings. The recipients that do not have access are identified and attachment managing program  115  presents this information to the email sender. The sender can then indicate whether or not they wish to update the access settings. If an update is required (determination step  255 , yes branch) then recipient(s) are selected and their access to the data is designated (step  260 ). If an update to the default access settings is not required (determination step  255 , no branch) then the current access or default access for recipient(s) is selected and their access to the data is designated (step  265 ). The access settings are then associated to the link (step  270 ) and the email, now containing the link and access settings, is sent to recipient computer  120 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  depicts a block diagram of components of computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that  FIG. 3  provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made. 
         [0035]    Computing device  110 , recipient computer  120 , and social media computer  140  include respective communications fabric  402 , which provides communications between computer processor(s)  404 , memory  406 , persistent storage  408 , communications unit  410 , and input/output (I/O) interface(s)  412 . Communications fabric  402  can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric  402  can be implemented with one or more buses. 
         [0036]    Memory  406  and persistent storage  408  are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory  406  includes random access memory (RAM)  414  and cache memory  416 . In general, memory  406  can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage media. 
         [0037]    Attachment managing program  115  and source data  118  are stored in persistent storage  408  for execution and/or access by one or more of the respective computer processors  404  via one or more memories of memory  406 . In this embodiment, persistent storage  408  includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage  408  can include a solid state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other computer-readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information. 
         [0038]    The media used by persistent storage  408  may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage  408 . Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage  408 . 
         [0039]    Communications unit  410 , in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices, including resources of recipient computer  120  and social media computer  140 . In these examples, communications unit  410  includes one or more network interface cards. Communications unit  410  may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. Attachment managing program  115  may be downloaded to persistent storage  408  through communications unit  410 . 
         [0040]    I/O interface(s)  412  allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to computing device  110 . For example, I/O interface  412  may provide a connection to external devices  418  such as a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or some other suitable input device. External devices  418  can also include portable computer-readable storage media such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention, e.g., attachment managing program  115 , can be stored on such portable computer-readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage  408  via I/O interface(s)  412 . I/O interface(s)  412  also connect to a display  420 . 
         [0041]    Display  420  provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor. 
         [0042]    The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. 
         [0043]    The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.