Data Storage Interface Layer for Unified Access Protocol
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage systems often require data accessors to have knowledge of specific configuration aspects and use particular protocols to access stored data, leading to accessibility issues across network boundaries and requiring changes in data accessor systems when storage system configurations change.
Innovation Solution
A data storage interface that acts as a layer between data accessors and backend storage systems, providing a consistent API and data access protocol, and enabling access across network boundaries by maintaining a mapping of data item identifiers to storage configuration information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data accessors directly access backend storage systems using storage-specific protocols, then data access functionality is achieved, but data accessors must have knowledge of specific configuration aspects and storage system changes require changes in data accessor systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a data storage interface layer that acts as an intermediary between data accessors and backend storage systems. This interface layer handles protocol translation and configuration management, allowing data accessors to use a unified protocol while the interface adapts to different storage system configurations. The intermediary absorbs the complexity of storage system variations, preventing these changes from propagating to data accessor systems.
2Ease of operation
If a unified data access protocol is provided to shield data accessors from storage system changes, then data accessor simplicity is improved, but an additional interface layer is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data storage system into distinct layers: a simplified data accessor layer, an intermediary data storage interface layer, and the backend storage system layer. This segmentation allows each layer to have optimized characteristics - data accessors remain simple while the interface layer handles the complexity of protocol translation and configuration mapping.
3Device complexity
If direct access to backend storage systems is allowed, then system structure remains simple, but access across network boundaries and different storage systems becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The data storage interface layer provides universal access capabilities that work across different storage systems and network boundaries. It maintains a mapping of data item identifiers to storage configuration information, enabling a single interface to handle multiple storage systems with different protocols and configurations, thus providing multi-functional access without requiring separate access mechanisms for each storage system.
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage interface layer provides access management and transformation of data stored in various backend storage clusters. The data storage interface can serve as a point of access for data accessors to access stored data via a consistent data access protocol, even when a data storage cluster on which requested data is stored may use a different protocol. The data storage interface can also provide in-line transformation of requested data and/or control of access to requested data.