Patent ID: 7743109

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for accessing a data resource by a client, comprising the steps of: receiving across a local area network a first request from said client to lock a first portion of said data resource; responsively to said first request, communicating across a wide area network to impose an extended lock on said data resource that reserves a range of said data resource for access thereof by said client; and while avoiding modifying said extended lock by communication across said wide area network, performing the steps of: issuing a grant of said first request to said client across said local area network; thereafter receiving across said local area network a second request from said client to unlock a second portion of said data resource within a range of said extended lock; issuing a grant of said second request to said client across said local area network; awaiting, during a delay interval, a third request from said client across said local area network to lock a third portion of said local area network; and in an event that said third request is not received, communicating a second time across said wide area network to cancel only a portion of said extended lock that corresponds to said second portion of said data resource.