Distributed Encrypted Database Copies for Network-Outage Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network failures disrupt ongoing operations that require continuous data access, such as in manufacturing plants and inventory tracking, leading to difficult or impossible retroactive repairs.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing mobile devices to create and distribute encrypted backup datasets, requiring cooperation of at least two devices for decryption, ensuring continuous access and operations during network failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is stored centrally in a computer network, then data access is efficient and simple, but network failures cause complete loss of data access and halt operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized backup database into multiple distributed backup databases stored across several mobile devices. Each mobile device holds a portion of the backup data, so that if one device or network is unavailable, other devices can still provide data access. This segmentation transforms a single point of failure into a distributed system with multiple access paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension centralized storage model to a multi-dimensional distributed storage model by utilizing multiple mobile devices as storage nodes. This creates redundancy across different spatial and device dimensions, allowing data access to continue through alternative paths when one dimension (network or device) fails.
2Reliability
If backup databases are distributed across multiple mobile devices, then operations can continue during network failures, but security risks increase due to decentralized storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary encryption of the backup database before distributing it across multiple mobile devices. The encryption is configured so that no single mobile device holds the complete decryption key or ability to decrypt the entire database. This preliminary security measure ensures that even if devices are compromised, the distributed nature of the encryption keys prevents unauthorized access to the full database.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different decryption capabilities or key portions to different mobile devices, creating local quality differences in security. Each device has a specific security role or key fragment that is useful only in combination with other devices, ensuring that individual device compromise does not lead to full database compromise.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If encrypted backup datasets are stored on mobile devices, then data security is improved, but decryption requires cooperation of multiple devices increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinating system or protocol that acts as an intermediary to manage the decryption process across multiple mobile devices. This intermediary handles the complexity of coordinating key exchange and decryption operations, presenting a simplified interface to users while managing the multi-device collaboration requirements in the background.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for enabling continuity of access to a primary dataset stored in a computer network is provided. The method utilizes a node, a computer processor, and non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. The node is connected to the computer network. The method includes configuring the mobile device for wireless connection to the computer network. The method includes configuring the mobile device to receive indication that the node is disconnected from the computer network and transmit a copy of the primary dataset or a portion thereof from the computer network to the node. The method includes configuring the node to enable operations on the dataset copy and keep a record of them. The method includes configuring the node to receive indication that the node is connected to the computer network and transmit the record to the computer network.