Dispersed Storage Network Access Policy for Data Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dispersed storage systems face challenges in maintaining data integrity and availability across multiple storage units, particularly in scenarios where a significant number of storage units fail, and they lack efficient mechanisms for secure, long-term data storage and retrieval without redundant copies.
Innovation Solution
A dispersed storage network (DSN) that employs error encoding using Cauchy Reed-Solomon encoding, distributing data into encoded data slices stored across multiple geographically dispersed units, with a managing unit and integrity processing unit ensuring data recovery and secure access, and an access policy for time-varying availability patterns to optimize performance and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is distributed across multiple storage units without redundant copies, then storage efficiency is improved, but data reliability deteriorates when storage units fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into multiple encoded slices distributed across different storage units. Each slice contains a portion of the encoded data, and the segmentation allows the system to store data efficiently without complete redundant copies while maintaining reliability through the encoding scheme that enables recovery from a threshold number of slices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data representation by applying error correction encoding (such as Reed-Solomon or Cauchy Reed-Solomon codes). This transforms the original data into encoded slices where the encoding parameters (threshold number of slices needed for recovery) are adjusted to balance storage efficiency and data reliability, allowing recovery even when some storage units fail.
2Manufacturing precision
If error correction encoding is implemented, then data integrity is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies error correction encoding in advance during the data writing phase. The encoding is performed before data is distributed to storage units, so that when data is retrieved, the decoding process is simplified. This preliminary action ensures data integrity without requiring complex real-time computation during read operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If access policies with time-varying availability patterns are implemented, then security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic access policies where the availability patterns of storage units can change over time. The system dynamically adjusts which storage units are accessible based on time-varying patterns, improving security by limiting access during certain periods while maintaining operational flexibility. The managing unit coordinates these dynamic changes without requiring complete system redesign.
4Reliability
If geographically dispersed storage units are used, then fault tolerance is improved, but coordination overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a managing unit that performs multiple functions: coordinating data distribution, managing access policies, handling time synchronization, and managing integrity verification. This multi-functional approach consolidates coordination tasks into a single entity, reducing the overall coordination overhead despite the geographically dispersed nature of storage units and improving fault tolerance.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit operates to receive a write threshold number of slices of a data object and an access policy; determine a current timestamp that indicates a current time value; and store the write threshold number of slices, the access policy, and the timestamp in a plurality of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN).