Method and System for Managing Data in a Communication Network

1 . A method for managing a plurality of files in a communication network, the communication network comprising a plurality of clients and at least one file of the plurality of files comprising one or more data segments, the method comprising:

a. receiving metadata associated with a file, by a server, wherein the file is stored in a virtual data drive of a first client of the plurality of clients;

b. receiving, by the server, data segments associated with the file from the virtual data drive of the first client;

c. storing the metadata and data segments associated with the file at the server;

d. generating, by the server, a first representation of the file based on the received metadata and data segments associated with the file;

e. sending, by the server, the first representation of the file to the plurality of clients; and

f. sending, by the server, at least one data segment of the file to a second client of the plurality of clients based on a request received at the server from the second client for the at least one data segment of the file.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the server, inputs to define a plurality of access rights to at least one user of a plurality of users corresponding to the plurality of clients for accessing the file.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the server, a change to the at least one data segment of the file from the second client.

4 . The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

updating, by the server, the first representation of the file based on the received change to the at least one data segment of the file.

5 . The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

sending, by the server, the updated first representation of the file to the plurality of clients.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

authenticating, by the server, the request based on a plurality of access rights of a user of the second client when the file is a secured file.

7 . The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the at least one data segment of the file sent to the second client is not cached by the second client when the file is a secured file.

8 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more data segments of the sent at least one data segments of the file are cached by the second client when the file is not a secured file.

9 . The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the number of the one or more data segments of the sent at least one data segments cached by the second client is based on one or more parameters of the communication network.

10 . A method for managing a plurality of files in a communication network, the communication network comprising a plurality of clients and at least one file of the plurality of files comprising one or more data segments, the method comprising:

a. receiving metadata associated with a file, by a server, wherein the file is a secured file stored in a virtual data drive of a first client of the plurality of clients;

b. receiving, by the server, data segments associated with the file from the virtual data drive of the first client;

c. storing the metadata and data segments associated with the file at the server;

d. generating, by the server, a first representation of the file based on the received metadata and data segments associated with the file;

e. sending, by the server, the first representation of the file to the plurality of clients;

f. receiving, by the server, a request from a second client of the plurality of clients for at least one data segment of the file;

g. authenticating, by the server, the request based on a plurality of access rights of a user of the second client; and

h. sending, by the server, the at least one data segment of the file to the second client when the request is authenticated.