Distributed Backup via Client-Side Data Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high costs and complexity of maintaining a centralized data center and a geographically distinct backup facility for data storage, along with privacy concerns and increased vulnerability to data intrusion, are significant challenges in ensuring data integrity and availability for DVR service providers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed backup system where subsets of processed data are stored on client devices themselves, allowing for more frequent updates and reducing the need for a single large backup database, thereby minimizing costs and enhancing data privacy by storing user data locally on their own devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized server is used to store all user data, then data management is simplified, but data privacy and security vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized data storage into distributed storage across multiple client devices. Each client device stores a portion of the data, eliminating the single centralized storage target and reducing vulnerability to data intrusion while maintaining manageable data distribution.
2Reliability
If a geographically distinct backup facility is maintained, then data recovery capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the backup function with the client devices themselves. Instead of maintaining a separate backup facility, the client devices that already exist in the system serve as the backup storage location, eliminating the need for additional geographic infrastructure while maintaining recovery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The client devices perform their own backup function by storing data locally. The system uses the existing client infrastructure to provide backup services, eliminating the need for a separate backup facility and reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single large backup database is used, then data storage is centralized, but cost and privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup database into multiple distributed storage locations across client devices. This eliminates the single large database that creates privacy concerns, while maintaining ease of implementation through standard distributed storage mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for performing distributed backup and retrieval of data. Data is sent by a plurality of client devices to be processed by a server and then stored in a database. A subset of the processed data stored in the database is backed up to each of the plurality of client devices. For the one or more particular client devices owned by a user, the subset of processed data stored on the one or more particular client devices is the subset of processed data that is associated with the user. The server and client device is updated to maintain the same state of processed data in the database and the backup. In the event of failure of either the database or a client device, processed data may be restored using the processed data stored on the database or the backup stored on the plurality of client devices.