Tech Kaizen: Microsoft Sync Framework

Microsoft Sync Framework is a comprehensive synchronization platform that enables collaboration and offline access for applications, services, and devices with support for any data type, any data store, any transfer protocol, and any network topology. Developers can build synchronization ecosystems that integrate any application, any data from any store using any protocol over any network. Sync Framework features technologies and tools that enable roaming, sharing, and taking data offline.

A number of providers are included by Sync Framework that support many common data sources. Although they are not required, to minimize development it is recommended that developers use these providers wherever possible. The following are the providers included:

Database synchronization providers: Synchronization for ADO.NET-enabled data sources
File synchronization provider: Synchronization for files and folders
Web synchronization components: Synchronization for FeedSync feeds such as RSS and ATOM feeds

Database Synchronization Providers:

The Sync Framework database synchronization providers were built to allow developers who were familiar with the concepts of ADO.NET to apply that knowledge to data synchronization through a very similar set of APIs to that of ADO.NET. The database synchronization providers offer the flexibility of a programming model like offline datasets and a richer synchronization feature set like that found in Merge replication. These providers also support synchronization over services, such as Windows Communication Foundation (WCF). Specifically, Sync Framework targets the following scenarios:

Offline Database Synchronization:

With Sync Framework you are able to build a solution where multiple remote clients connect and synchronize to a central ADO.NET database in a Hub-and-Spoke configuration. This enables occasionally connected devices to periodically connect and synchronize changes with a central ADO.NET database server. This topology is a common solution for remote workers such as sales reps or field service workers.

Collaboration Between Databases:

Sync Framework also includes Peer-to-Peer capabilities. Through a custom Peer provider, collaboration between two or more SQL Server databases can occur. Unlike a Hub-and-Spoke architecture, this provider enables a SQL Server database to communicate and exchange information with any other SQL Server database. This type of scenario is useful in group scenarios where users (such as auditors) need to update information and then collaborate those changes with other group members.

Synchronizing Files:

Sync Framework has a built-in algorithm for detecting changes that are made to the files and folders in the synchronization scope :

A change is reported when any of the following properties has changed:

The last modification time on a file.
If hashing is enabled, the value of the hash that was computed for the file.
The file size.
The file or folder name. This check is case-sensitive.
Any of the file attributes that are handled by the provider.

A file move or rename is reported when a file is found that has the same creation time, size, and hash value (when hashing is being used) as a previously known file, but the file has a different name or path. If more than one file is found that meets these criteria, Sync Framework acts as if the original file was deleted and new files were created.

Sync Framework treats a folder move or rename as if the old folder was deleted and the new folder was created. The files in the folder are reported as moves. Therefore, in this case, file data does not usually have to be re-sent.

ref:

Microsoft Sync Framework Overview - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sync/bb736753

Microsoft Sync Framework Beginner's Guide - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ff629461

Sync Framework Sample code(part of Microsoft SDK) - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb902852.aspx

Sync Framwork sample code in Microsoft Code Gallery - http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/site/search?f%5B0%5D.Type=SearchText&f%5B0%5D.Value=Microsoft%20Sync%20Framework&f%5B1%5D.Type=Affiliation&f%5B1%5D.Value=Official&f%5B1%5D.Text=Microsoft

Sync Framework Managed API - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc306319.aspx

Sync Framework Unmanaged API - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb902965.aspx

Introduction to Sync Framework Database Synchronization - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/bb887608

How to Choose a Data Synchronization Technology: Offline & Collaboration - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/cc470041

Microsoft Sync Team Tweets - http://twitter.com/syncfx

Microsoft Sync Team Blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sync/

Getting Started with Microsoft Synchronization Services for ADO.NET(Developer.com) -