Encryption Key Table Cleanup Using Quiet-Period Prediction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current key-based encryption systems face challenges in managing numerous encryption keys due to frequent rotations, leading to resource consumption and management difficulties, especially in deduplicated storage environments, where garbage collection operations are complicated by the need to handle both data deletion and key management efficiently.

Innovation Solution

Implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict quiet periods in storage systems for scheduling garbage collection and key management operations, using historical disk performance data to identify optimal times for key deletion and consolidation, thereby reducing the load on these operations and optimizing key table space usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent key rotation is implemented to ensure security, then data security is improved, but the number of keys in the system increases leading to resource consumption and management difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidkey management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automated key deletion by identifying keys that are no longer needed after data expiration and systematically removing them from the key table. This resolves the contradiction by discarding obsolete keys to reduce management complexity while maintaining security through retained keys that are still needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service key management by automatically tracking data expiration dates and deleting associated keys without manual intervention. This reduces the operational burden and complexity of managing large numbers of keys while maintaining security through consistent rotation and deletion policies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If aggressive key rotation policy is applied to maintain security, then security vulnerabilities are reduced, but processing overhead increases due to exporting and importing large numbers of keys

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity vulnerability reductionVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By systematically deleting keys that are no longer needed, the system reduces the total number of keys that require export/import operations. This lowers processing overhead while maintaining security by keeping only the necessary keys in rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts key management parameters based on data expiration patterns and usage patterns, optimizing the balance between security and processing overhead by deleting keys that have exceeded their useful lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If manual key deletion is performed to reduce key table size, then resource consumption is reduced, but the risk of human error and system instability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekey table sizeVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs key deletion based on tracked expiration data, eliminating human error while systematically reducing key table size. This maintains system stability through consistent, rule-based deletion while reducing resource consumption from smaller key tables.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors key usage and data expiration patterns, using this feedback to determine which keys should be deleted. This ensures that only appropriate keys are removed, maintaining system stability while reducing key table size and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Productivity

If keys are retained longer to reduce deletion operations, then key management operations are reduced, but key table space consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekey management operation frequencyVSAvoidkey table space

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated key deletion based on data expiration patterns, systematically removing obsolete keys to free up key table space. This reduces key table volume while maintaining productivity by establishing automated deletion processes that reduce manual management operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS20250321686A1Automatic key cleanup to better utilize key table space using artificial intelligence and machine learning

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Automatic key management operations are disclosed. Key tables are used to manage keys used in encryption/decryption operations performed in a data protection operation. A machine learning model is trained to determine when live data associated with each of the keys will reach a threshold. The model, or another model, may also predict disk usage percentage (ingest rates) and associated times such that a quiet period for performing key management operations and/or garbage collection operations can be performed. Thus, once data associated with a key is moved out of that key, the key table space can be optimized by deleting the key during the quite time.