Segmented Cloud Storage With Parity for Bandwidth Bottlenecks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud storage providers face high costs due to bandwidth and hardware requirements for storing and accessing large files, as data is typically centralized, leading to bottlenecks and increased risk of data unavailability from single storage locations.

Innovation Solution

A system that distributes digital files into multiple distinct blocks with parity information across remote storage nodes, allowing for efficient bandwidth usage and error correction, using techniques like Reed-Solomon encoding and decoding, and dynamically selecting available nodes for data retrieval.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If data is centralized in cloud storage, then data security and management are simplified, but bandwidth costs and hardware requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata management complexityVSAvoidbandwidth cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides files into multiple segments and distributes them across different storage nodes in a peer-to-peer network. This segmentation eliminates the centralized bottleneck, reducing bandwidth costs while maintaining data security through distributed architecture where no single node holds the complete dataset.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a single-dimension centralized storage model to a multi-dimensional distributed network architecture. Data is organized across multiple nodes with hierarchical indexing, enabling efficient retrieval without centralized coordination while reducing bandwidth requirements through parallel access paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If data is stored in a single location, then data access is simplified, but data availability and security are reduced due to single point of failure risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access simplicityVSAvoiddata availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Files are divided into segments distributed across multiple nodes, with each node storing only portions of the overall dataset. This segmentation provides redundancy and fault tolerance while maintaining simplified access through the hierarchical index system that guides retrieval operations across the distributed network.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements redundant storage of data segments across multiple nodes before any failure can occur. This prior cushioning ensures data availability continues even if some nodes become unavailable, while the hierarchical index structure maintains operational simplicity for data retrieval.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If cloud providers purchase redundant storage arrays and large bandwidth, then data security and access speed are improved, but operational costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidoperational cost efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables peer-to-peer data sharing where network participants contribute their own storage capacity and bandwidth resources. This self-service model eliminates the need for centralized providers to purchase expensive redundant infrastructure, reducing operational costs while maintaining data security through distributed architecture and cryptographic protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The hierarchical index system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables efficient data retrieval, provides distributed coordination without centralized control, and optimizes bandwidth utilization across the network. This multi-functionality reduces operational complexity and costs while maintaining high reliability and security standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10534667B2Segmented cloud storage
Publication Date: 2020.01.14 STORJ LABS INT SEZC
  • US10534667B2 patent drawing
  • US10534667B2 patent drawing
  • US10534667B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer system for optimizing bandwidth usage within a cloud storage system receives a request, through an application program interface (API), to store a digital file. The computer system then encodes the digital file into a set of multiple distinct blocks of data. The system also transmits the set of multiple distinct blocks of data to multiple remote storage nodes. The multiple distinct blocks of data are divided among at least a portion of the remote storage nodes. The system generates a log that comprises identification information associated with the digital file and an address for each respective block of data within each respective remote storage node. The system then transmits the log to a remote directory server. The directory server comprises multiple different logs that map multiple different digital files to the remote storage nodes.