Abstract: A universal system is provided for synchronizing servers which accommodates wide area mobile computing while at the same time making the process more efficient. The system includes a network of primary servers with high performance reliable links making up the backbone of the synchronization process to which secondary servers are linked via typically less reliable links. Moreover, synchronization from a mobile computer can be done whether in client/server mode, or peer-to-peer to support any topology of secondary servers. In one embodiment while the primary servers are automatically and frequently synchronized, synchronization of the secondary servers is under the control of the user which prevents unintended synchronization. A summarizing version vector is used to minimize the amount of data transmitted by avoiding the necessity for exchanging version vectors for individual objects.