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 data storage system that synchronizes files between multiple client devices, the system comprising:
 one or more computer processors comprising computer hardware configured to:
 access a stored backup policy; 
 cause transmission, according to the backup policy, of files stored in a first storage device to at least one backup storage device for storage in the backup storage device as part of a backup operation, the first storage device associated with a first client device; 
 in response to or during the transmission of the files to the backup storage device, access 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 client device and a second client device, the criteria including a geographic region; 
 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, identify a first file stored on the first storage device for deletion from the first storage device; 
 cause deletion, according to the synchronization policy, of the first file from the first storage device; and 
 subsequent to the deletion of the first file from the first storage device, according to the synchronization policy, and 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, cause transmission of the first file from the backup storage device to a second storage device associated with the second client device for storage in the second storage device. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy is a geographic region in which the file was created. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the accessing of the synchronization policy is triggered by the backup operation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the causing transmission of first file from the backup storage device to the second storage device is triggered by a secondary copy operation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the transmission of the first file from the backup storage device to the second storage device is part of a data restore operation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a version of the first file transmitted from the backup storage device to the second storage device is an updated version of the first file which replaces an instance of the first file residing on the second storage device prior to the transmission of the first file from the backup storage device to the second storage device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the files in the backup storage device are stored in an encrypted format. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein an application that generated the first file 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. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method of synchronizing files between multiple client computers, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 with one or more computer processors comprising computer hardware:
 causing transmission, according to a backup policy, of files stored in a first storage device to at least one backup storage device for storage in the backup storage device as part of a backup operation, the first storage device associated with a first client device; 
 in response to or during the transmission of the files to the backup storage device, 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 client device and a second client device, the criteria including a geographic region; 
 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 a first file stored on the first storage device for deletion from the first storage device; 
 causing deletion, according to the synchronization policy, of the first file from the first storage device; 
 subsequent to the deletion of the first file from the first storage device, according to the synchronization policy, and 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, causing transmission of the first file from the backup storage device to a second storage device associated with the second client device for storage in the second storage device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the geographic region specified in the synchronization policy is a geographic region in which the file was created. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the accessing of the synchronization policy is triggered by the backup operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the causing transmission of the first file from the backup storage device to the second storage device is triggered by a secondary copy operation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transmission of first file from the backup storage device to the second storage device is part of a data restore operation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a version of the first file transmitted from the backup storage device to the second storage device is an updated version of the first file which replaces an instance of the first file residing on the second storage device prior to the transmission of the first file to the second storage device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the files stored in the backup storage device are in an encrypted format. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein an application that generated the first file 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.