Data synchronization based on client device location

Abstract

According to certain aspects, a method can include electronically accessing, by a storage manager, a stored synchronization policy specifying at least a first folder associated with a first computing device and a second folder associated with a second computing device; identifying a first file stored in the first folder as a candidate for synchronization; receiving an indication as to a location of the first computing device and the second computing device; in response to a determination that the first computing device is not located within a geographic region, electronically generating and transmitting instructions to the first computing device to remove the first file from the first folder; and in response to a determination that the second computing device is located within the geographic region, electronically generating and transmitting instructions to cause transmission of the first file to the second computing device for storage in the second folder.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A networked data storage system that synchronizes files between multiple client computers using a secondary copy based on a geographic location of a client device, the system comprising:
 at least one first primary storage device that provides primary memory for a first client device and that stores a first instance of a first file in a native format associated with an application;   a first application-specific data agent associated with the first client device and which is involved in performing backup operations on files stored in the first primary storage device;   at least one second primary storage device that provides primary memory for a second client device and that stores a second instance of the first file in the native format;   a second application-specific data agent associated with the second client device and which is involved in performing backup operations on files stored in the second primary storage device;   at least one backup storage device that provides secondary memory for the first and second client devices, and which stores at least one secondary copy of the first file in at least one secondary copy format that is different than the native format; and   one or more computer processors comprising computer hardware that executes software instructions to perform operations comprising:
 copying, according to a backup policy, files stored in the first primary storage device in the native format to the backup storage device to create secondary copies of the files in the secondary format; 
 accessing a synchronization policy separate from the backup policy and which specifies criteria for identifying files in the backup storage device to synchronize between the first and second client devices, the criteria including a geographic region, wherein the accessing of the synchronization policy occurs in response to or during the copying according to the backup policy; 
 based at least in part on a determination that a geographic location of the first client device is not within the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy, identifying the first file for deletion from the first primary storage device; 
 deleting the first instance of the first file from the first primary storage device while retaining a secondary copy of the first file in the backup storage device in the secondary format; and 
 subsequent to the deleting of the first instance of the first file, based at least in part on a determination that a geographic location of the second client device is within the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy, restoring the secondary copy of the first file from the backup storage device to the second primary storage device to create a restored version of the first file, wherein said restoring comprises converting from the secondary format to the native format. 
   
     
     
         3 . The networked data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary copies of the files are stored in an encrypted format. 
     
     
         4 . The networked data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the application comprises one of the group consisting of: a Microsoft Exchange application, a Lotus Notes application, a Microsoft Windows file system application, a Microsoft Active Directory Objects application, a SQL Server application, a SharePoint application, an Oracle database application, an SAP database application, or a virtual machine application. 
     
     
         5 . The networked data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the geographic location of the first client device is communicated to the one or more processors as part of the copying of the files to the backup storage device. 
     
     
         6 . The networked data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the geographic location of the first client device is communicated to the one or more processors when the first client computing device is connected to a network. 
     
     
         7 . The networked data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the restored version of the first file communicated to the second primary storage device is an updated version of the first file which replaces the second instance of the first file. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method of synchronizing files between multiple client computers using a secondary copy, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 storing a first instance of a first file in a native format on at least a first primary storage device that provides primary memory for a first client device;   performing information management operations on the first instance of the file in the native format with an application-specific data agent associated with the first client device;   storing a synchronized copy of the first file in the native format on at least a second primary storage device that provides primary memory for a second client device;   copying, according to a backup policy, files stored in the first primary storage device to the backup storage device to create secondary copies of the files;   accessing a synchronization policy which specifies criteria for identifying files in the backup storage device to synchronize between the first and second client devices, the criteria including a geographic region, wherein the accessing of the synchronization policy occurs in response to or during the copying, according to the backup policy, of the files to the backup storage device;   based at least in part on a determination that a geographic location of the first client device is not within the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy, identifying the first file for deletion from the first primary storage device;   deleting the first instance of the first file from the first primary storage device while retaining a secondary copy of the first file in the backup storage device; and   subsequent to the deleting of the first instance of the first file, based at least in part on a determination that a geographic location of the second client device is within the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy, restoring the secondary copy of the first file from the backup storage device to the primary storage device to create a restored version of the first file, wherein said restoring comprises converting from the secondary format to the native format.   
     
     
         9 . The networked data storage system of  claim 8 , wherein the geographic location of the first client device is communicated to the one or more processors when the first client computing device is connected to a network. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the secondary copies of the files are stored in an encrypted format. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein an application that generated the first file in the native format comprises one of the group consisting of: a Microsoft Exchange application, a Lotus Notes application, a Microsoft Windows file system application, a Microsoft Active Directory Objects application, a SQL Server application, a SharePoint application, an Oracle database application, an SAP database application, or a virtual machine application. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the geographic location of the first client device is communicated to the one or more processors as part of the copy of the files to the backup storage device. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the geographic location of the second client device is communicated to the one or more processors when the second computing device is connected to a network. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the restored version of the first file communicated to the second primary storage device is an updated version of the first file which replaces the second instance of the first file. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the restoring the secondary copy is performed by the second application-specific data agent.