Dispersed Media Storage Slicing for Secure Device Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data storage systems face challenges with data integrity and security due to the high probability of disc failures in redundant arrays, which increases maintenance demands and introduces security risks from multiple data copies, while also incurring efficiency losses as data volume grows.
Innovation Solution
A distributed storage network (DSN) system that uses error coding dispersal storage to partition data into slices, which are then stored across multiple geographically diverse locations, allowing for secure and reliable data retrieval even in the event of individual device failures, with a storage integrity processing unit for verification and rebuilding of corrupted slices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant disc drives are used to replicate data, then data reliability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides data into multiple slices and distributes them across different storage locations. Instead of replicating entire data sets across redundant drives, the system segments data into smaller units that can be independently stored and retrieved, reducing the complexity of managing redundant systems while maintaining reliability through distributed storage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dispersal storage function as an intermediary layer between the data and physical storage devices. This function performs error coding and slice distribution, acting as a mediator that manages the complexity of redundancy while presenting a simplified interface for data storage and retrieval operations
2Reliability
If multiple copies of data are stored, then data reliability is improved, but security risks increase due to multiple access points
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting data into slices and distributing them across multiple locations, the system eliminates the need for complete data copies. Each slice is stored separately, and reconstructing the original data requires combining multiple slices, which inherently secures the data against unauthorized access while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different storage characteristics to different data slices based on their location and access patterns. Each slice can be stored with appropriate security measures and access controls tailored to its specific context, rather than applying uniform security to all data copies
3Quantity of substance
If data volume grows, then storage capacity is increased, but efficiency losses occur in redundant array systems
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data into slices that can be independently managed and accessed. This segmentation allows for efficient storage scaling where only the necessary slices are retrieved and processed, avoiding the efficiency losses associated with managing large redundant arrays while maintaining increased storage capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of data storage from complete copies to encoded slices. This parameter change enables the system to scale storage capacity without proportionally increasing the overhead management complexity, thereby maintaining efficiency as data volume grows
Data Source
AI summary
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module encoding a data segment of multi-media content using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce a set of encoded data slices and partitioning the set of encoded data slices into a first sub-set of encoded data slices and a second sub-set of encoded data slices, wherein the first sub-set of encoded data slices include less than a decode threshold number of encoded data slices. The method continues with the DS processing module distributing the first sub-set of encoded data slices to a plurality of potential accessing devices and when accessing information from a device of the plurality of potential accessing devices is received, sending at least one of the encoded data slices of the second sub-set of encoded data slices to the device such that the device has the decode threshold number of encoded data slices.