System and method for transmission of files within a secured network

1. A method of distributing content files maintained on a first device in a secured network, the secured network including at least the first device, an intermediate device, and a second device, each device being located at a different tier of the secured network, the method comprising:

at the second device, receiving a file privilege file maintained on the first device via a connection in the secured network, wherein the file privilege file includes distribution information for the file privilege file and content files to be distributed in the secured network, including a list of at least an intermediate device and second device to receive the file privilege file;

at the second device, receiving a content file based on the file privilege file using a stateless protocol via a connection in the secured network;

at the first device, modifying the file privilege file with distribution information for at least a modified content file to produce an updated file privilege file;

at the intermediate device, requesting transmission of the updated file privilege file from a server module on the first device by a client module on the intermediate device using a stateless protocol via a connection in the secured network;

at the first device, transferring the updated file privilege file, via the server module on the first device, to the intermediate device in response to the request by the intermediate device using a stateless protocol via a connection in the secured network;

at the second device, requesting transmission of the updated file privilege file from a server module on the intermediate device by a client module on the second device using a stateless protocol via a connection in the secured network;

at the intermediate device, transferring the updated file privilege file from the intermediate device, via the server module on the intermediate device, to the second device in response to the request by the second device; and

at the second device receiving the modified content file based on the updated file privilege file using a stateless protocol via a connection in the secured network.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the file privilege file is transferred between devices using an unsecured application layer protocol and a secured transport layer protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the file privilege file provides information regarding security level of the device and content files that the device may receive.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the file privilege file includes configuration parameters for the second device.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

at the second device propagating the file privilege file to the first device through the intermediate device wherein the file privilege file includes hop data indicative of at least the origination of the file privilege file within the secured network;

at the first device, updating the file privilege file so as to authorize the second device to receive a new file;

in response to a client application request on the intermediate device and based on the hop data, receiving the updated file privilege file for the second device and storing the updated file privilege file along with the hop data;

receiving a request for the updated file privilege file from the second device at the intermediate device based upon the hop data and in response sending the updated file privilege file to the second device; and

subsequent to receiving the updated file privilege file, the second device requesting the new file from the intermediate device using a client application based upon the file privilege file.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the file privilege file is updated at the first device based upon the origination of the file privilege file.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hop data include data indicative of each device transmitting the file privilege file.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein subsequent to the intermediate device receiving the updated file privilege file, the intermediate device requesting the new file from the first device using a client application.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the file privilege file is an individual file privilege file for the second device.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first, intermediate, and second device reside on a different network tier wherein there may be more than one device on at least the tier for the intermediate device and the tier for the second device.

11. A computer program product including a non-transient computer readable medium with computer code thereon for a client module for updating a content file between a first network device and a second network device within a secured network without needing to change security parameters of the secured network, the first network device being in a top tier and the second network device being in a lower tier, the computer code comprising:

computer code for uploading a file privilege file associated with the first network device from memory to a server component on the second network device, wherein the file privilege file includes distribution information for the file privilege file and content files to be distributed in the secured network, including a list of at least the second network device to receive the file privilege file and a list of content files accessible by the first network device;

computer code for requesting a modified file privilege file from a web server on the second network device using a stateless protocol; and

computer code for downloading an updated version of the content file from the web server on the second device if the content file has been modified by comparing the content file stored in memory with the list of content files from the modified file privilege file.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11 further comprising:

computer code for assigning a unique identifier for the first network device;

computer code for providing the unique identifier for the first network device with the file when uploading the file from memory to the server component on the second network device.

13. A computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the unique identifier is initially assigned to the first network device and provided to the second network device prior to the file privilege file being requested from the web server on the second network device and wherein the file privilege file references the first network device by its unique identifier.

14. A computer program product according to claim 11 further comprising:

computer code for initiating an upload of the file privilege file from memory to the server component on the second network device if the file privilege file has been modified, wherein the initiation of the upload occurs at a regularly scheduled time.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the computer code for initiating an upload further comprises sending a specified folder path to the second network device that includes a unique identifier for the first network device.

16. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein the file privilege file contains a folder path indicative at least each network device that has received or transferred the file.

17. A computer program product on a non-transient computer-readable medium having computer code thereon for a server module for updating a content file among devices within a secured network without needing to change security parameters of the secured network, the computer code comprising:

computer code for receiving first security data from a device to access a list of available content files on the server module;

computer code for confirming that the device is authorized to access the listing of available content files on the server module;

computer code for modifying the first security data to produce second security data and providing the second security data to the device, wherein the first and second security data includes (i) a listing of available content files on the server module and devices to receive the listing, and (ii) information regarding access rights of the content files by other tier devices within the secured network; and

computer code for receiving a request, from the device, to transfer thereto at least one of the content files in the listing of available files.

18. A computer program product according to claim 17 , wherein the listing of available content files is a subset of all content files available on the server module and the listing of available content files is constrained by the first security data.

19. A computer program product according to claim 17 , wherein the listing of available content files is part of a file privilege file that contains hop data for the file privilege file.