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Seamless File Locking and Conflict Resolution with LightUp.Cloud: Empowering Architects and Teams

For architects, landscape designers, and collaborative teams, managing large files like Lumion designs or CAD drawings is a daily necessity. However, when multiple team members work on the same file, conflicts can arise, leading to overwritten changes, lost work, and frustration. LightUp.Cloud , built on Erlang and powered by AWS S3, introduces a robust file locking system and an innovative automated conflict resolution feature using Dotted Version Vector Sets (DVVSet). These tools ensure that architects, like those at GreenHouse in Ukraine, can edit files securely, avoid conflicts, and maintain accurate data, enhancing customer experiences. This article explores how LightUp.Cloud’s file locking and conflict resolution features streamline collaboration while keeping user data reliable and up-to-date.

Why File Locking Matters for Architects

Architects often work with massive files—Lumion projects exceeding 10 GB or detailed blueprints—that require collaborative editing. Without proper safeguards, simultaneous edits can overwrite changes, causing delays and errors. For a midsize firm like GreenHouse, led by Alex Koval, ensuring that team members can edit files without stepping on each other’s toes is critical. LightUp.Cloud’s file locking system addresses this challenge, while its automated conflict resolution feature ensures that even if a user forgets to lock a file, their work remains protected. These features are tailored to the needs of architects, landscape designers, and other SMBs, with 30.2 million in the USA and 24.7 million in the EU relying on efficient collaboration tools.

LightUp.Cloud’s File Locking System

LightUp.Cloud’s file locking system is designed to make collaboration intuitive and secure. When an architect, such as one from GreenHouse, opens a file in File Explorer —whether it’s a Lumion rendering or a PDF blueprint—they can lock the file with a single click. This lock prevents other team members from editing the file simultaneously, ensuring that changes are saved without conflicts. The lock is clearly visible to the team, so everyone knows who is working on the file and when it’s safe to access it.

For example, imagine Alex Koval’s team working on a landscape design project. One architect locks a Lumion file to refine a 3D model, while others focus on different tasks. The lock ensures that only one person edits the file at a time, preserving the integrity of the design. Once the architect finishes and unlocks the file, teammates can access it, streamlining workflows and preventing costly mistakes. This feature integrates seamlessly with LightUp.Cloud’s sync capabilities, allowing architects to work as usual across devices, whether in the office or on-site.

Automated Conflict Resolution with DVVSet

Despite the best intentions, mistakes happen. If an architect forgets to lock a file and another team member overwrites their changes, the result can be lost work and frustrated clients. LightUp.Cloud’s automated conflict resolution feature, powered by the Dotted Version Vector Sets (DVVSet) algorithm, detects and resolves these conflicts intelligently, ensuring that user data remains accurate and up-to-date.

What is DVVSet in Simple Terms?

The DVVSet algorithm, used by LightUp.Cloud via Riak KV, is like a smart librarian who keeps track of every change made to a file and ensures the most current version is always available. When multiple team members edit a file simultaneously, DVVSet tracks the causal history of each change—who made it, when, and on which server. This history is stored alongside the file’s data, allowing LightUp.Cloud to identify conflicts accurately and avoid false positives (where unrelated changes are mistakenly flagged as conflicts).

Here’s how it works in practice:

- If two architects at GreenHouse edit the same Lumion file without locking it, LightUp.Cloud creates conflicting copies (called siblings) to preserve both sets of changes.

- DVVSet compares the causal history of each copy, determining which changes came first and how they relate.

- The system automatically merges non-conflicting changes or presents the conflicting versions to the user for manual resolution, ensuring no work is lost.

Unlike traditional systems that might overwrite changes or flag unrelated edits as conflicts, DVVSet’s precision ensures that architects always access the most accurate data. This is critical for customer-facing applications, where delivering fast, reliable data enhances client satisfaction.

Why DVVSet Prevents False Conflicts

In a busy firm like GreenHouse, hundreds of file edits could occur daily. Without a smart system, tracking these changes could lead to bloated data or incorrect conflict flags. DVVSet solves this by maintaining a compact record of changes, avoiding the problem of growing version vectors (e.g., 1000 entries for 1000 clients). It also handles cases where the same user edits a file on different servers, ensuring that these changes are recognized as distinct rather than falsely merged. By preventing false conflicts, DVVSet keeps LightUp.Cloud’s performance fast and its data accurate, even under heavy workloads.

Enhancing Customer Experiences

For architects, delivering a seamless customer experience is paramount. Clients expect quick access to designs, accurate updates, and professional presentation. LightUp.Cloud’s file locking and conflict resolution features ensure that GreenHouse’s team can collaborate without delays or errors, impressing clients with timely, polished deliverables. The platform’s integration with AWS S3 provides 99.999999999% data durability, guaranteeing that files are safe, even in disasters. Erlang’s resilience—proven in systems running decades without restarts on Ericsson hardware—ensures uptime, so architects can share files confidently.

Additional Features for Architects

Beyond file locking and conflict resolution, LightUp.Cloud offers tailored tools to enhance architects’ workflows:

Cheap Storage for Large Files : Using AWS S3’s cost-effective storage classes (e.g., S3 Glacier), LightUp.Cloud stores 10 GB+ Lumion files at up to 5 times lower costs than Dropbox or fileCloud.

Custom-Branded Portfolios : Architects can create portfolio pages with their logo and branding, sharing secure links with clients to showcase designs professionally.

Metadata Extraction : LightUp.Cloud extracts author info from PDF files, displaying it in a user-friendly web UI for easy tracking of project ownership.

Privacy Controls : A “strip meta info from PDF” checkbox ensures sensitive data isn’t shared during file transfers, protecting client confidentiality.

SEO-Optimized Portfolios : Portfolio pages are optimized for search engines, helping architects attract new clients.

Sync Feature : Architects can work as usual, with files syncing across devices in real-time, supported by Erlang’s fast node-to-node communication.

GreenHouse’s Success with LightUp.Cloud

GreenHouse, a Ukrainian landscape design firm, switched from Dropbox due to its high costs, slow speeds, and limited storage. Alex Koval, the owner, adopted LightUp.Cloud after a compelling office demonstration (captured on video) and later shared a testimonial video praising its performance. The file locking system allowed his team to edit Lumion files without conflicts, while DVVSet ensured that any oversights were resolved automatically. The cost savings and custom-branded portfolio pages helped GreenHouse impress clients, streamline operations, and grow their business.

LightUp.Cloud’s file locking system and automated conflict resolution, powered by DVVSet, make it the ideal platform for architects managing large files. By ensuring seamless collaboration, accurate data, and enhanced customer experiences, LightUp.Cloud empowers firms like GreenHouse to work efficiently and impress clients. With cheap storage, custom branding, and robust privacy controls, it’s a cost-effective, reliable alternative to Dropbox and other competitors. Architects can focus on creating stunning designs while LightUp.Cloud handles the complexities of file management.

Ready to streamline your workflow? Explore LightUp.Cloud’s features or learn about API integration at https://lightup.cloud .

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