Methods and systems for email integrated file delivery
Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a file delivery system for transmitting files to recipients using email, which may be used with existing email infrastructure. Email clients may “attach” files to an email by an attachment process. The attachment process, however, associates a placeholder with the email instead of the actual file. The placeholder is replaced with a URL link to the file and the email is sent. The system moves the attachments over the network to a remote server that is capable of delivering the attachments to the email recipients. File attachments are routed to recipients independent of the associated email.
1. A method for delivering a data file selected by a user as an email attachment, the method comprising:
receiving, by an email client application running on a client computer, an indication to attach a data file to an email;
generating a placeholder associating the data file with the email, the placeholder identifying the data file;
inserting, by the email client application, the placeholder into the email in place of the data file;
receiving, by the email client application, an indication to send the email including the placeholder to a destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the email including the placeholder to a pending folder;
extracting information from the email including the placeholder, the information being descriptive of at least the destination system;
generating a metadata file based on the extracted information the metadata file identifying at least the destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the data file and the metadata file to a packaging folder;
delivering, by the email client application from the packaging folder, the data file and the metadata file to a hosting server over a first communication link;
replacing, by the email client application after moving the email including the placeholder to the pending folder, the placeholder in the email including the placeholder with a link indicating a location of the delivered data file; and
delivering, by the email client application from the pending folder, the email including the link indicating a location of the delivered data file to the email server over a second communication link different from the first communication link.
2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of the data file exceeds a preset size, and wherein generating the placeholder is based on the determination of the size of the data file.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the metadata file comprises information for controlling, by the host server, at least one of replication of the delivered data file, transport of the delivered data file, access to the delivered data file, and lifecycle management of the delivered data file.
4. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising including, by the email client application, a unique identifier in the metadata file, the unique identifier being associated with the data file for tracking purposes.
5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the extracted information is further descriptive of the email or the data file.
6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein delivering the data file and the metadata file to the hosting server comprises:
selecting the hosting server from a file hosting server list containing a plurality of servers, the plurality of servers being arranged in sequence based on preference;
loading the data file and the metadata file onto the hosting server; and
generating the link from a data file address of the data file, the data file address indicating the hosting server.
7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the link comprises a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource identifier (URI), or a uniform resource name (URN).
8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the location comprises a data file address of the data file.
9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the link further comprises an authentication key for retrieving the delivered file from the hosting server.
10. A system for delivering a data file selected by a user as an email attachment, the system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by an email client application, an indication to attach a data file to an email;
generating a placeholder associating the data file with the email, the placeholder identifying the data file;
inserting, by the email client application, the placeholder into the email in place of the data file;
receiving, by the email client application, an indication to send the email including the placeholder to a destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the email including the placeholder to a pending folder;
extracting information from the email including the placeholder, the information being descriptive of at least the destination system;
generating a metadata file based on the extracted information, the metadata file identifying at least the destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the data file and the metadata file to a packaging folder;
delivering, by the email client application from the packaging folder, the data file and the metadata file to a hosting server over a first communication link;
replacing, by the email client application after moving the email including the placeholder to the pending folder, the placeholder in the email including the placeholder with a link indicating a location of the delivered data file; and
delivering, by the email client application from the pending folder, the email including the link indicating a location of the delivered data file to the email server over a second communication link different from the first communication link.
11. The system as in claim 10 , the operations further comprising determining a size of the data file exceeds a preset size, and wherein generating the placeholder is based on the determination of the size of the data file.
12. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the metadata file comprises information for controlling, by the host server, at least one of replication of the delivered data file, transport of the delivered data file, access to the delivered data file, and lifecycle management of the delivered data file.
13. The system as in claim 10 , further comprising including, by the email client application, a unique identifier in the metadata file, the unique identifier being associated with the data file for tracking purposes.
14. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the extracted information is further descriptive of the email or the data file.
15. The system as in claim 10 , wherein delivering the data file and the metadata file to the hosting server comprises:
selecting the hosting server from a file hosting server list containing a plurality of servers, the plurality of servers being arranged in sequence based on preference;
loading the data file and the metadata file onto the hosting server; and
generating the link from a data file address of the data file, the data file address indicating the hosting server.
16. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the link comprises a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource identifier (URI), or a uniform resource name (URN).
17. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the location comprises an authentication key for retrieving the delivered file from the hosting server.
18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a system, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by an email client application, an indication to attach a data file to an email;
generating a placeholder associating the data file with the email, the placeholder identifying the data file;
inserting, by the email client application, the placeholder into the email in place of the data file;
receiving, by the email client application, an indication to send the email including the placeholder to a destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the email including the placeholder to a pending folder;
extracting information from the email including the placeholder, the information being descriptive of at least the destination system;
generating a metadata file based on the extracted information the metadata file identifying at least the destination system;
moving, by the email client application in response to the indication to send the email including the placeholder, the data file and the metadata file to a packaging folder;
delivering, by the email client application from the packaging folder, the data file and the metadata file to a hosting server over a first communication link;
replacing, by the email client application after moving the email including the placeholder to the pending folder, the placeholder in the email including the placeholder with a link indicating a location of the delivered data file; and
delivering, by the email client application from the pending folder, the email including the link indicating a location of the delivered data file to the email server over a second communication link different from the first communication link.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 18 , wherein delivering the data file and the metadata file to the hosting server comprises:
selecting the hosting server from a file hosting server list containing a plurality of servers, the plurality of servers being arranged in sequence based on preference;
loading the data file and the metadata file onto the hosting server; and
generating the link from a data file address of the data file, the data file address indicating the hosting server, the link comprising a uniform resource locator (URL), a uniform resource identifier (URI), or a uniform resource name (URN).
20. The system as in claim 18 , wherein the link further comprises an authentication key for retrieving the delivered file from the hosting server.