Method and communication device for processing data for transmission from the communication device to a second communication device

1. A server comprising:

a processor; and

a communication interface, the processor configured to:

receive, from a sending device, a message addressed to a receiving device and containing (i) an attachment, and (ii) metadata embedded in the attachment including an address of a copy of the attachment stored on a storage device, wherein the copy of the attachment is retrievable at the receiving device using the address;

automatically extract the address from the attachment;

automatically substitute, in the message, the attachment with the address of the copy of the attachment stored on the storage device; and

transmit, using the communication interface, to the receiving device, the message including the address but not the attachment.

2. The server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: automatically substitute, in the message, the attachment with the address of the copy of the attachment when a size of the attachment is above a threshold size.

3. The server of claim 1 , wherein the attachment comprises an exchangeable image file format (EXIF), and the address is embedded in EXIF data.

4. The server of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: when the storage device is not accessible to the receiving device, transmit the message with the attachment instead of substituting the attachment with the address.

5. A method comprising:

at a server comprising a processor; and a communication interface, receiving, at the processor, a message from a sending device addressed to a receiving device and containing (i) an attachment, and (ii) metadata embedded in the attachment including an address of a copy of the attachment stored on a storage device, wherein the copy of the attachment is retrievable at the receiving device using the address;

automatically extracting the address from the attachment;

automatically substituting, in the message, using the processor, the attachment with the address of the copy of the attachment stored on the storage device; and

transmitting, using the communication interface, to the receiving device, the message including the address but not the attachment.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: automatically substituting, in the message, the attachment with the address of the copy of the attachment when a size of the attachment is above a threshold size.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: when the storage device is not accessible to the receiving device, transmitting the message with the attachment instead of substituting the attachment with the address.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program, wherein execution of the computer program is for:

at a server comprising a processor; and a communication interface, receiving, at the processor, a message from a sending device addressed to a receiving device and containing (i) an attachment, and (ii) metadata embedded in the attachment including an address of a copy of the attachment stored on a storage device, wherein the copy of the attachment is retrievable at the receiving device using the address;

automatically extracting the address from the attachment;

automatically substituting, in the message, using the processor, the attachment with the address of the copy of the attachment stored on the storage device; and

transmitting, using the communication interface, to the receiving device, the message including the address but not the attachment.