A synchronization system providing multi-client synchronization is described.
By
storing the data that is actually being synchronized (i.e., storing the actual
physical body of a memo, for instance) inside an extra database, "Grand Unification
Database" (GUD), (or by specially-designated client data set) under control of
a central or core synchronization engine, rather than transferring such data on
a point-to-point basis, the system of the present invention provides a repository
of information that is available at all times and does not require that any other
synchronization client (e.g., PIM client or hand-held device) be connected. The
GUD provides a super-set of the other client data sets. Therefore, if the user
now includes an additional client, such as a server computer storing user information,
the synchronization system has all the information necessary for synchronizing
the new client, regardless of whether any of the other clients are currently available.
The system can, therefore, correctly propagate information to any appropriate client
without having to "go back" to (i.e., connect to) the original client from which
that data originated.
