Dispersed Storage Routing for Reliable Encoded Data Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional computer storage systems face challenges with data integrity and security due to the failure of physical movement-based memory devices, such as disc drives, which can lead to bit-level corruption and complete failure within three years, and redundant array of independent discs (RAID) solutions increase maintenance demands and security risks with multiple copies of data.

Innovation Solution

A distributed storage system that uses error coding dispersal storage to partition data into slices, which are then encoded and stored across multiple physically diverse locations, allowing for reliable and secure data retrieval even in the event of device failures, with a storage integrity processing unit for verification and reconstruction of data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is stored using physical movement-based memory devices like disc drives, then data storage capacity is achieved, but data integrity deteriorates due to bit-level corruption and complete failure within three years

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoiddevice lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides data into multiple slices and stores them across different storage units, so that failure of individual devices does not result in complete data loss. This segmentation approach directly addresses the reliability issue by ensuring data survival despite device failures over time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs error coding and data reconstruction preparation in advance, creating redundant encoded slices before actual data storage. This preliminary encoding ensures that when device failures occur, the data can be reconstructed without having waited for failure to manifest

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If redundant array of independent discs (RAID) is used to protect against device failure, then data security is improved, but maintenance demands and security risks increase due to multiple copies of data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidmaintenance overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating complete duplicate copies of data across multiple devices, the patent applies different encoded versions of data slices to different storage units. Each storage unit holds a unique encoded portion, reducing redundancy overhead while maintaining security and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms data into encoded slices with different mathematical parameters distributed across storage units. This parameter-based differentiation reduces the need for identical copies, lowering maintenance complexity while preserving data security through distributed reconstruction capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If multiple copies of data are stored for redundancy, then data availability is improved, but unauthorized access risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidunauthorized access risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent stores different encoded versions of data slices across multiple storage units rather than identical copies. This ensures that no single storage unit contains complete recoverable data, providing both availability through distributed storage and security against unauthorized access to complete data sets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The error coding mechanism acts as an intermediary that transforms data into encoded slices requiring combination for reconstruction. This intermediary layer ensures that data remains unavailable for unauthorized access while maintaining availability for authorized reconstruction through the combination of encoded slices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8839068B2Data transmission utilizing route selection and dispersed storage error encoding

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

A method begins by a processing module obtaining a set of encoded data slices for transmission to a receiving entity via a network, wherein the set of encoded data slices represents data that has been dispersed storage error encoded. The method continues with the processing module dividing the set into a plurality of sub-sets of encoded data slices in accordance with an error coding distributed routing protocol. The method continues with the processing module determining a plurality of routing paths within the network in accordance with the error coding distributed routing protocol. The method continues with the processing module transmitting the plurality of sub-sets of encoded data slices via the plurality of routing paths to the receiving entity in accordance with the error coding distributed routing protocol.