Quartz is a lightweight distributed peer-to-peer data synchronization and storage utility. Through Quartz, users are able to synchronize the same sets of files that may exist on all their devices, including desktops, laptops, and workstations. Once a particular user stores their files, that data is persistently stored within the Quartz network. All that is required is that each user give up only 150 MB of their own harddrive space in order to store other members' encrypted data. Similar to CVS, where data accessible by many users is stored in a central location, each user's data is accessible only by himself or herself, and this data is stored and maintained on the network itself.



Quartz uses a peer-to-peer storage layer to provide highly-available storage of important personal data. Implemented using an underlying structured peer-to-peer overlay network, Quartz uses DOLR: decentralized object location routing. Structured overlay networks provide large-scale routing, resiliency against node membership changes (joins and leaves), and access to highly available storage. Utilizing the many features of Chimera, a routing peer-to-peer layer protocol, Quartz is able to have all encrypted data always available on the network in the midst of these constant membership changes.