Patent ID: 7930270

Claim:
A computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for managing files on multiple computing devices, the computer-executable instructions, when executed, perform a method comprising: establishing an account that identifies a plurality of partner computing devices, the plurality of partner computing devices including a local partner computing device and at least one remote partner computing device, each of the plurality of partner computing devices having a corresponding at least one cache policy filter, each cache policy filter including at least one filter rule; providing a combined file space on the local computing device represented by a folder that includes a plurality of sub-folders, each sub-folder being associated with one of the plurality of partner computing devices and being configured to include files shared from the associated one of the plurality of partner computing devices; caching contents of a file located on a remote partner computing device in the sub-folder associated with the remote partner computing device in the combined file space if a filter rule of a cache policy filter of the local computing device is met, said caching including storing a copy of the file in the sub-folder associated with the remote partner computing device in the combined file space on the local partner computing device as a cached file, the file located on the remote partner computing device being maintained as a master file; and storing metadata associated with the file in the sub-folder associated with the remote partner computing device in the combined file space, instead of storing the contents of the file in the sub-folder associated with the remote partner computing device in the combined file space, if the filter rule is not met.