Patent ID: 7587467

Claim:
A system for data access among multiple computers connected by a wide area network, comprising: a local storage device associated with a local computer connectable to the wide area network over a first secure channel through a first firewall element, said first firewall element adapted to protect said local computer from hostile intrusion from the wide area network; a remote storage device associated with a remote computer connectable to the wide area network over a second secure channel through a second firewall element, said second firewall element adapted to protect said remote computer from hostile intrusion from the wide area network; an authentication server configured to authenticate said local computer for secure connection with said remote computer, and said remote computer for secure connection with said local computer; a local cache management application configured to store data from said remote storage device in local cache associated with said local storage device; and a remote cache management application configured to communicate with said local cache management application, manages file requests from said local cache management application and control a remote reference file for each file accessed by said local cache management application.