Cloud Storage Gateway for Multi-Provider Virtualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud storage solutions lack a unified management system for multiple providers, leading to issues such as single provider lock-in, high WAN latencies, data unavailability due to connection disruptions, and limitations on file size, which hinder adoption and efficiency in data center planning.
Innovation Solution
A distributed virtual cloud storage architecture with a transparent virtualization layer that integrates multiple cloud storage providers, using a cloud proxy with a firewall, load balancer, and database to manage data services, enabling seamless access and replication across providers, and providing caching for disconnected use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If customers use multiple cloud storage providers, then storage capacity and availability are improved, but system complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud storage gateway as an intermediary device deployed at the customer's premises. This gateway acts as a mediator between customer systems and multiple cloud storage providers, consolidating management functions locally. The gateway handles authentication, data routing, and coordination with various cloud providers, thereby simplifying the customer's interaction with the complex multi-provider storage ecosystem while maintaining improved availability through provider redundancy.
2Quantity of substance
If data is stored in cloud storage providers located far away, then storage capacity is improved, but access speed and response time deteriorate due to WAN latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage access into two distinct paths: local access through the cloud storage gateway for frequently accessed data, and remote access through WAN to cloud storage providers for bulk storage. The gateway caches frequently accessed data and handles local operations, while less frequently accessed data is stored in remote cloud providers. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve high storage capacity in the cloud while maintaining fast local access speeds for critical data.
3Ease of operation
If customers rely on a single cloud storage provider, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates when the provider goes down or imposes file size limits
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud storage gateway is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse storage needs across multiple providers. It universally supports various cloud storage protocols and can dynamically route data to different providers based on availability, capacity constraints, and operational requirements. This universal design allows the system to maintain operational simplicity through a unified interface while ensuring reliability by distributing data across multiple providers, preventing single-point-of-failure scenarios.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a virtualization layer is introduced to integrate multiple cloud storage providers, then adaptability and unified management are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud storage gateway implements self-service capabilities that automatically handle data routing, load balancing, and failover decisions without requiring complex centralized management. The gateway autonomously monitors provider status, selects optimal data paths, and manages local caching strategies based on predefined policies and real-time conditions. This self-service approach enables the system to achieve high adaptability for multi-provider integration while minimizing architectural complexity by eliminating the need for complex external control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a distributed information storage system which functions as virtual cloud storage overlay on top of physical cloud storage systems. The disclosure discloses transparently solving all the data management related security, virtualization, reliability and enables transparent cloud storage migration, cloud storage virtualization, information dispersal and integration across disparate cloud storage devices operated by different providers or on-premise storage. The cloud storage is owned or hosted by same or different third-party providers who own the information contained in the storage which eliminates cloud dependencies. This present disclosure functions as a distributed cloud storage delivery platform enabling various functionalities like cloud storage virtualization, cloud storage integration, cloud storage management and cloud level RAID.