A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Each client device has a storage allocation for synchronized shared content items. If the storage allocation for shared content items on a client device is exceeded by the request to add or edit a content item such that it is enlarged, or open a large content item remote to the client device, a client application or the host of content management system selects content items to remove from residence on the client device but keep remotely on content management system. Upon removal of the selected content items, the client application creates shadow items, representing the content item but only containing the metadata of the content item. This creates sufficient space for the initial request to be completed while maintaining user access to all synchronized shared content items.

A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Each client device has a storage allocation for synchronized shared content items. If the storage allocation for shared content items on a client device is exceeded by the request to add or edit a content item such that it is enlarged, or open a large content item remote to the client device, a client application or the host of content management system selects content items to remove from residence on the client device but keep remotely on content management system. Upon removal of the selected content items, the client application creates shadow items, representing the content item but only containing the metadata of the content item. This creates sufficient space for the initial request to be completed while maintaining user access to all synchronized shared content items.

A system for creating a sync group in a distributed system may include an offline electronic device having a short range communication transmitter and a storage service, and a computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions. The system may receive a request from an application to create a sync group, and verify that the application has read access to the storage service. In response to verifying that the application has read access to the storage service, the system may create the sync group by receiving an indication of one or more objects stored in the storage service that are to be shared, identifying one or more members of the sync group, and assigning one or more permissions to the one or more members that are identified. The system may synchronize access to the objects among the electronic device and one or more member electronic devices.

A system for creating a sync group in a distributed system may include an offline electronic device having a short range communication transmitter and a storage service, and a computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions. The system may receive a request from an application to create a sync group, and verify that the application has read access to the storage service. In response to verifying that the application has read access to the storage service, the system may create the sync group by receiving an indication of one or more objects stored in the storage service that are to be shared, identifying one or more members of the sync group, and assigning one or more permissions to the one or more members that are identified. The system may synchronize access to the objects among the electronic device and one or more member electronic devices.

A server system comprising: a respective storage area for each of a plurality of respective parties including a first party and a second party, and a manager function for managing the storage. Each of at least some of the storage areas stores a primary instance of one or more data resources of the respective party. The manager function is configured so as, in response to the second party forming a relationship with one of the resources of the first party, to establish a secondary copy of that one of the resources of the first party in the respective storage area of the second party. In the secondary copy, the manager function also includes personal metadata describing one or more attributes of the relationship between the second party and the resource.

A server system comprising: a respective storage area for each of a plurality of respective parties including a first party and a second party, and a manager function for managing the storage. Each of at least some of the storage areas stores a primary instance of one or more data resources of the respective party. The manager function is configured so as, in response to the second party forming a relationship with one of the resources of the first party, to establish a secondary copy of that one of the resources of the first party in the respective storage area of the second party. In the secondary copy, the manager function also includes personal metadata describing one or more attributes of the relationship between the second party and the resource.

Distributed system resources may be managed by applying user created policies to the resources. To ensure that valid policies are applied, remote validation for the policies may be implemented. A validation event for a policy may be detected. A remote validation agent may be identified for the policy and a validation request sent to the remote validation agent that includes information for validating the policy. The remote validation agent may return a validation result for the policy. If valid, a policy action that triggered the remote validation event for the policy may be allowed. If invalid, the policy action that triggered the remote validation event for the policy may be denied.

Distributed system resources may be managed by applying user created policies to the resources. To ensure that valid policies are applied, remote validation for the policies may be implemented. A validation event for a policy may be detected. A remote validation agent may be identified for the policy and a validation request sent to the remote validation agent that includes information for validating the policy. The remote validation agent may return a validation result for the policy. If valid, a policy action that triggered the remote validation event for the policy may be allowed. If invalid, the policy action that triggered the remote validation event for the policy may be denied.

Embodiments disclosed herein address the need to more efficiently backup a network-based storage environment that may be remote from a primary storage environment. For example, embodiments herein can provide a more efficient backup of a storage managed by a third-party entity. To improve the backup process, embodiments herein may optimize the number of scanning threads that are used to identify files that are to be backed up by, for example, analyzing the characteristics of the network and/or the network storage system to determine a number of scanning threads that will enable faster scanning of the network storage system while at the same time not overburden or be slowed down by a network between the network-based storage environment and the primary storage environment.

Embodiments disclosed herein address the need to more efficiently backup a network-based storage environment that may be remote from a primary storage environment. For example, embodiments herein can provide a more efficient backup of a storage managed by a third-party entity. To improve the backup process, embodiments herein may optimize the number of scanning threads that are used to identify files that are to be backed up by, for example, analyzing the characteristics of the network and/or the network storage system to determine a number of scanning threads that will enable faster scanning of the network storage system while at the same time not overburden or be slowed down by a network between the network-based storage environment and the primary storage environment.