Network-Ready Storage with Cryptographic Access Control and Direct Data Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network-attached storage devices inefficiently process data messages through a central processing unit (CPU), leading to bottlenecks in processing power and communication bandwidth, which limits the scalability of storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing separate processing paths for control and data messages, where control messages are routed through a processing device and data messages are directly communicated between a storage client and storage device without CPU intervention, reducing the CPU's workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data messages are processed through a central processing unit (CPU), then control and security functions can be maintained, but processing power and communication bandwidth are bottlenecked, limiting scalability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing paths into two separate channels: a control path that routes through the CPU for authentication and security management, and a data path that bypasses the CPU for direct storage operations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain secure control functions while eliminating the CPU bottleneck that limited data processing throughput and scalability.
2Productivity
If a separate processing path for data messages is implemented, then processing power and scalability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage controller as an intermediary component that manages the separation of control and data paths. The controller handles CPU-bound control operations (authentication, access control) while enabling direct data path communication between storage clients and storage devices, thereby achieving improved scalability without requiring complex distributed system architecture.
3Use of energy by moving object
If CPU workload is reduced by bypassing data messages, then power consumption decreases, but control and security management becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts CPU-intensive control and security functions (authentication, access control decisions) from the data processing path and places them in a separate control path. This extraction allows the data path to operate independently with minimal power consumption while the control path handles security management through dedicated CPU resources, making the system more energy-efficient without compromising security.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage product manufactured as a computer component and configured to have: a secure memory region to store cryptographic keys; a network interface; a local storage device having a storage capacity accessible via the network interface; and a host interface to be connected to a local host system. The local host system can control access, made via the network interface, to the storage capacity without receiving a portion of storage access messages received in the network interface. The storage product includes an access controller configured to determine whether a message, received in the network interface from the computer network or in the host interface from the local host system, has a valid verification code according to the cryptographic keys; and if not, the message can be rejected, deleted, discarded, or ignored without further processing.