Archival Data Object Identifier Encoding Location and Policy

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing demand for durable and reliable archival data storage services poses challenges due to the high costs and resource requirements associated with storing massive amounts of data, necessitating a cost-effective and reliable method for identifying and managing archival data.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a system that uses data object identifiers encoding storage location, policy, and integrity validation information to enable efficient storage, retrieval, and deletion of archival data, reducing the need for additional data structures and ensuring data security and integrity through encryption and error-detection mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional storage technologies are used to store massive amounts of archival data, then data storage capacity is achieved, but storage costs become prohibitive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata storage capacityVSAvoidstorage cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions (storage location identification, policy enforcement, integrity validation) into a single data object identifier structure. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate data structures and reduces overhead, thereby lowering storage costs while maintaining capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The data object identifier serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it identifies storage location, enforces access policies, validates data integrity, and supports both synchronous and asynchronous operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate systems or data structures, reducing overall storage costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If high durability and reliability are ensured for archival data storage, then data security is improved, but the amount of resources needed increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata durabilityVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates integrity validation information and policy enforcement mechanisms directly into the data object identifier. This eliminates the need for separate validation data structures and reduces resource consumption while maintaining high durability and reliability through embedded error-detection and access control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If synchronous customer experience is provided during asynchronous data storage operations, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomer experienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by providing the data object identifier to the customer immediately, before the actual asynchronous storage operation completes. This allows the customer to proceed with subsequent operations synchronously while the background process continues, improving ease of operation without requiring complex synchronization mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2883132B1Archival data identification
Publication Date: 2019.05.01 AMAZON TECH INC
  • EP2883132B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2883132B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2883132B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and systems are provided herein that facilitate cost-effective and reliable data identification in an archival data storage system. In an embodiment, a data object stored in an archival data storage system is identified by a data object identifier which encodes storage location information that may be used to locate a data object stored in an archival data storage system that reduces the cost to store a global index. The data object identifier may also encode policy information such as access control information usable for validating subsequent access to the data object, payload validation information such as size and digest usable for verifying the integrity of the payload data, metadata validation information such as error-detection codes usable for validating integrity of the data object identifier and other information.