Patent ID: 7296025

Claim:
A management system for managing virtual assets stored remotely from an end user comprising: a storage system to store virtual assets in the form of files; a management processing system coupled to said storage system to manage said stored virtual assets, wherein said management processing system includes: a file manager module to manage said stored virtual assets ranged within a hierarchy including a plurality of tiers in the form of folders with each folder including at least one virtual asset file; and a portfolio manager module to manage said stored virtual assets arranged within portfolios with each portfolio including at least one virtual asset file selected by a user, wherein said file and portfolio manager modules selectively enable files to be uploaded from an end user system directly into a portfolio, and wherein said file manager module includes a hidden upload module to transfer, in a manner transparent to said user, selected files from at least one end user system to said management processing system for storage in an arbitrary folder, and said portfolio manager module includes a portfolio upload module to receive said selected files from said arbitrary folder and place those files within a selected portfolio; and at least one end user system each remote from and in communication with said management processing system via a network and including a user interface module including a Rich Client user interface to enable a user to interact with said file and portfolio manager modules to manage said stored virtual assets, wherein said user interface module facilitates application of file system operations performed locally by said user on a corresponding end user system to said remotely stored virtual assets to manage those assets, and wherein said local file system operations include at least one of a drag and drop operation and selection of a local file system operation from a popup menu.