Dispersed Storage Slice Deletion by Analysis Priority
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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 data loss and unauthorized access, especially as the amount of data grows and maintenance demands increase.
Innovation Solution
A distributed storage network (DSN) system that uses error coding dispersal storage to partition data into slices, which are then encoded and stored across multiple geographically diverse locations, allowing for reliable and secure data retrieval even in the event of device failures, and includes a storage integrity processing unit to verify and rebuild corrupted slices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is stored in conventional physical movement-based memory devices (disc drives), then storage capacity and accessibility are improved, but data integrity and security deteriorate due to device failures and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides data into multiple slices and distributes them across different storage devices and locations. This segmentation ensures that no single device holds complete data, reducing the impact of individual device failures while maintaining overall storage capacity and data integrity through redundant distribution.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant disc drives are used to replicate data, then data security is improved, but storage capacity is reduced due to redundancy overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the redundancy parameter from traditional RAID replication to erasure coding with configurable slice distribution. By adjusting the number of slices and their distribution across devices, the system optimizes the balance between data security and usable storage capacity, reducing redundancy overhead while maintaining security.
3Reliability
If data is distributed across multiple locations, then data security and fault tolerance are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal slice distribution mechanism that handles multiple functions: data storage, security, fault tolerance, and retrieval optimization. This multi-functional approach simplifies the overall system architecture by consolidating what would otherwise require separate mechanisms for each function, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining fault tolerance.
4Productivity
If all data slices are deleted at once after access, then storage efficiency is improved, but data security is compromised if deletion is not complete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary deletion actions where slices are deleted in a controlled sequence rather than all at once. This preliminary approach ensures that no incomplete data remains accessible while optimizing storage efficiency, as the system can begin freeing storage space incrementally without compromising security through batched deletion operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module monitoring storage of data, wherein the data is encoded using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and is stored as the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the DS processing module determining analysis priority of the data in accordance with an analysis prioritization protocol. When the analysis priority of the data compares unfavorably to a first priority threshold, the method continues with the DS processing module issuing a command to delete an encoded data slice from each set of at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.