B-Folders - synchronization
The synchronization technology of B-Folders
B-Folders provides an advanced and extraordinary synchronization technology. It allows you to keep your data consistent on multiple (more than two!) locations - desktop computers, laptops and smartphones. This way you will have all your precious info always with you - at work, at home or on the road. Whatever changes you make - create, edit, move, reorder or delete are detected and synchronized.
The consistency is achieved by performing sync sessions, each between two peers over wireless (Wi-Fi) or wired network. So you can sync your laptop with your desktop, your smartphone with your desktop, your laptop with your smartphone in the best way for you depending on your location and available devices.
Sync sessions are always encrypted so you can use whatever network is available - Wi-Fi, Ethernet even public hotspots.
B-Folders also provides a feature that allows a peer to discover other peers on the same network - like a radar. When a peer is discovered, it can be requested to participate in a sync session by single click - no need to enter network parameters like IP address and port.
Common scenarios
Security details
- each sync session is only between the two participating peers - no central server or internet service is used
- synchronization data being exchanged during the sync session is transferred over TLS (formerly SSL) connection which provides encryption and data consistency
- the discovery feature is provided by a separate component from
synchronization and database. This component knows and provides only
the name, IP address, port and software version info in unencrypted
format so other peers on the same network can see it without providing
a password
Basics
Each sync session involves two peers - one initiating the session by
sending a sync request and the order serving the sync request. If the
serving peer is busy for example editing an item, it will refuse the
request. The sync progress is displayed on the peer initiating the sync
session. The two peers must use the same password in order to
exchange data so it is sure the both belong to the same person.
NOTE: B-Folders for Android can initiate sync requests, but cannot serve remote sync requests. For that reason it can discover desktop peers, but it is undiscoverable. The reason is the nature of mobile devices where battery life and network bandwidth are scarce.
Tutorials
Android device-Computer syncing over Wi-Fi
Android device-Computer syncing over 3G
Computer-Computer syncing over LAN