Replicate Client Cache files between two computers?

OzPeter · Post by **OzPeter** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 12:19 pm

I have not seen this issue addressed in my searches over this site, so please forgive me if I have missed something.

I currently work from home and effectively telecommute to the other side of the world. At home I have a desktop and and a laptop both running SOS client, and on the other side of the world is the SOS server. In day to day functions the desktop is my main work machine, and I keep my main SOS projects up to date on that machine. On occaision I work away from home and take my laptop. But the laptop is always lagging behind in terms of files being up to date or complete projects missing, and as such also has to be synced with the SOS server before I leave.

What I would like to do is transfer the current SOS system status from the desktop over to the laptop via a fast local network copy instead of syncing the laptop directly from the SOS server and wasting lots of slower Internet bandwith.

Can I do this by copying the complete project file structure from desktop to laptop, and then copying the SOS client cache files across as well? (Assuming the same user account name on both machines, and same locations of application directory trees)

Or if a simple copy doesn't work, can my desktop be set up as a local SOS server, caching the files from the main SOS server?

Regards
Peter

lbauer · Post by **lbauer** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 3:33 pm

Can I do this by copying the complete project file structure from desktop to laptop, and then copying the SOS client cache files across as well? (Assuming the same user account name on both machines, and same locations of application directory trees)

We haven't tested this scenario, but it's worth a try.

Or if a simple copy doesn't work, can my desktop be set up as a local SOS server, caching the files from the main SOS server?

The SOS Server doesn't cache files -- it's the Client that keeps track of file status, based on information it receives from the SOS Server.

OzPeter · Post by **OzPeter** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:11 pm

Thanks for the reply, but I was hoping you could give an answer rather than suggest an experiment

I took a look at the SOS index and database files, and I can see that potentially I could copy the files across. Unfortunately I don't have the time to test this tonight, although I might check over the weekend. The only downside I can see is that windows could screw up the file timestamps and I will end up with a client machine full of renegade files.

As for getting my desktop to act as a server, I think cache was the wrong word to use. In hindsight I think what I would like would be a client side tool that could perform a "Get" from another client machine (or even between different users on the same client machine) that inspected and utilised the SOS index and database files on the remote machine in order to merge application files into the local machine. And thus synchronise the two client machines without needing to refer to the SOS server. This sunchronisation could either be one or two ways, and would work at every level of project or file in the source safe.

lbauer · Post by **lbauer** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:18 am

I understand your interest in saving bandwith, but the current architecture of SOS is designed so that SOS Clients synchronize with the VSS database by a "Get Latest" operation to the client machine. We haven't tested other scenarios, like duplicating the database cache file, etc. Also, there is no mechanism for synchronizing client machines while bypassing the SOS Server.