Real-time user interaction-based alterations to the scope of data synchronization between client and remote devices

1. A method of altering a scope of data synchronization at a client computing device, the method comprising:

establishing, by the client computing device, a connection to a remote computing system that is located remotely from the client computing device;

displaying representations of stub folders via the client computing device, each stub folder referencing a corresponding folder of information that is stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device;

receiving a user selection of one of the stub folders;

in response to receiving the user selection of one of the stub folders, displaying representations of stub sub-folders, each stub sub-folder referencing a corresponding sub-folder of information in the folder referenced by the selected stub folder which is stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device;

receiving a user selection of one of the stub sub-folders to synchronize the selected stub sub-folder; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selected stub sub-folder referencing a sub-folder, synchronizing the sub-folder in the folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder between the client computing device and the remote computing system resulting in a synchronized sub-folder of information without synchronizing other sub-folders in the folder of information referenced by the selected stub folder.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder includes acquiring, from the remote computing system, information representative of file stubs and folder stubs located within the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder, each file stub referencing a file stored at the remote computing system within the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the user selection of one of the stub sub-folders, displaying the acquired file stubs and folder stubs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder includes expanding the scope of data synchronization to include the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein expanding the scope of data synchronization includes modifying a synchronization map to include a path to the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the user selection of one of the stub sub-folders, replacing the displayed representation of the selected stub sub-folder with a graphical representation indicating that the sub-folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder is synchronized between the client computing device and the remote computing system.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a new folder of information; and

in response to receiving the new folder of information, synchronizing the new folder of information between the client computing device and the remote computing system resulting in a new synchronized folder of information.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein synchronizing the new folder of information includes expanding the scope of data synchronization to include the new folder and sub-folders located within the new folder.

9. A client computing device, comprising:

a storage element for storing data;

a user interface for providing information to a user and receiving inputs from the user;

a communication interface for communicating with a remote computing system that is located remotely from the client computing device; and

a processor coupled to the storage element, the user interface, and the communication interface, the processor being operable to:

establish a connection to the remote computing system via the communication interface;

display, via the user interface, representations of stub folders, each stub folder referencing a corresponding folder of information that is stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device;

receive, via the user interface, a user selection of one of the stub folders;

in response to receiving the user selection of one of the stub folders, display representations of stub sub-folders, each stub sub-folder referencing a corresponding sub-folder of information in the folder referenced by the selected stub folder which is stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device;

receive a user selection of one of the stub sub-folders to synchronize the selected stub sub-folder; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selected stub sub-folder referencing a sub-folder, synchronize the sub-folder in the folder of information referenced by the selected stub sub-folder between the client computing device and the remote computing system resulting in a synchronized sub-folder of information.

10. The client computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive a command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information; and

in response to receiving the command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information, de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information.

11. The client computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further operable to:

in response to receiving the command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information, generate a sub-folder stub that references the sub-folder of information at the remote computing system.

12. The client computing device of claim 10 , wherein de-synchronizing the synchronized sub-folder of information includes deleting, at the client computing device, files, folders, file stubs, and folder stubs located within the synchronized sub-folder of information.

13. The client computing device of claim 10 , wherein de-synchronizing the synchronized sub-folder of information includes contracting a scope of data synchronization to exclude the synchronized sub-folder of information.

14. The client computing device of claim 13 , wherein contracting the scope of data synchronization includes modifying a synchronization map to exclude a path to the synchronized sub-folder of information and paths to sub-folders located within the synchronized sub-folder of information.

15. The client computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further operable to:

in response to receiving the command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information, replace a graphical representation indicating that the sub-folder of information is synchronized between the client computing device and the remote computing system with a graphical representation of a stub sub-folder that references the sub-folder of information at the remote computing system.

16. A method of altering a scope of data synchronization at a remote computing system, the method comprising:

establishing, by the remote computing system, a connection to a client computing device that is located remotely from the remote computing system;

receiving, from the client computing device, a reference to a folder of information stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device, the reference being generated from one of a plurality of stub folders and in response to a user selection of the one of the plurality of stub folders;

receiving, from the client computing device, a reference to a sub-folder of information in the folder which is stored at the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device to synchronize the sub-folder; and

in response to receiving the reference to the sub-folder of information stored at the remote computing system, synchronizing the sub-folder of information between the client computing device and the remote computing system resulting in a synchronized sub-folder of information without synchronizing other sub-folders in the folder of information.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein synchronizing the sub-folder of information includes communicating, to the client computing device, file stubs and folder stubs located within the sub-folder of information, each file stub referencing a file stored at the remote computing system within the sub-folder and each folder stub referencing a folder stored at the remote computing system within the sub-folder.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein synchronizing the sub-folder of information includes expanding the scope of data synchronization to include the sub-folder of information.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein expanding the scope of data synchronization includes modifying a synchronization map to include a path to the sub-folder of information.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

receiving a new folder of information from the client computing device; and

in response to receiving the new folder of information, expanding the scope of data synchronization to include the new folder of information and sub-folders located within the new folder.

21. A remote server computing system, comprising:

a storage element for storing data;

a communication interface for communicating with a client computing device that is located remotely from the remote computing system; and

a processor coupled to the storage element and the communication interface, the processor being operable to:

establish a connection to the client computing device via the communication interface;

receive, from the client computing device and via the communication interface, a reference to a folder of information stored in the storage element of the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device, the reference being generated from one of a plurality of stub folders and in response to a user selection of the one of the plurality of stub folders;

receive, from the client computing device, a reference to a sub-folder of information in the folder which is stored in the storage element of the remote computing system but not stored at the client computing device to synchronize the sub-folder; and

in response to receiving the reference to the sub-folder of information stored in the storage element of the remote computing system, synchronize the sub-folder of information between the client computing device and the remote computing system resulting in a synchronized sub-folder of information without synchronizing other sub-folders in the folder of information.

22. The remote server computing system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive, from the client computing device, a command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information; and

in response to receiving the command to de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information, de-synchronize the synchronized sub-folder of information.

23. The remote server computing system of claim 22 , wherein de-synchronizing the synchronized sub-folder of information includes contracting a scope of data synchronization to exclude the synchronized sub-folder of information.

24. The remote server computing system of claim 23 , wherein contracting the scope of data synchronization includes modifying a synchronization map to exclude a path to the synchronized sub-folder of information and paths to sub-folders located within the synchronized sub-folder of information.

25. The remote server computing system of claim 22 , wherein de-synchronizing the synchronized sub-folder of information includes modifying file synchronization properties of files located within the sub-folder of information and sub-folders located within the sub-folder of information, the file synchronization properties being modified to indicate that the files are not synchronized.