TSync, A Google Summer of Code Invention

James Anderson, a graduate student of University of California (San Diego), has come up with a solution for managing multiple upto-date copies of files across a network of computers and other devices including PDAs, Laptops etc, without manual user intervention. He calls his invention 'Transparent Synchronization' (Tsync). Released under an opensource license (GPL), and currently in its beta state, Tsync is a Google SoC project.

Tsync is a user-level daemon that provides transparent synchronization for one or more data volumes (directory trees) amongst a set of computers. Tsync uses a peer-to-peer architecture for scalability, efficiency, and robustness, which ensures that each node remains connected with all other connected nodes. The overlay network also provides a scalable means by which a Tsync node can learn about other hosts, besides the bootstrap host with which it was configured. Tsync uses strong authentication and encryption: hosts authenticate each other using the OpenSSH RSA-key authentication mechanism, and all data is encrypted using the symmetric key cryptography.

James Anderson is one among the elite group of 13 exceptions out of 400 students who were invited to work with Google as the sponsoring agency.

• Time-Saving Tool: Google Galvanizes Invention By UCSD Student During Summer Of Code
• Tsync - Sourceforge Project Page
• Tsync HOWTO
• Homepage of James Anderson