Source Target Metadata Data Integrity Checking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data corruption during the transfer of data from a source to a target storage medium is often overlooked, as existing methods do not effectively check for data integrity after the data has been transferred.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for source versus target metadata-based data integrity checking, where metadata or cryptographic hashes are compared before committing the data to storage, ensuring data integrity by instructing the backup target to either commit or discard the data based on the comparison.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is transferred from source to target storage medium without integrity verification, then transfer speed and simplicity are improved, but data reliability deteriorates due to undetected corruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by computing cryptographic hashes of source data before transfer and storing them with metadata. This pre-computed hash serves as a verification mechanism that will be used after transfer, allowing integrity checking without adding complexity to the transfer process itself while ensuring data reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical checksum verification with cryptographic hash functions. This substitution provides more reliable integrity verification through mathematical properties of cryptographic hashes, which are computationally infeasible to collide with, thereby significantly improving data reliability detection capability
2Reliability
If cryptographic hash verification is performed after data transfer, then data reliability is improved by detecting corruption, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent computes and stores cryptographic hashes of source data before transfer occurs. By performing this computationally intensive operation in advance, the actual verification after transfer becomes a simple hash comparison rather than a full data re-computation, significantly reducing verification processing time while maintaining reliable corruption detection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the source data's cryptographic hash and stores it with the metadata. This hash copy serves as a reference for verification, allowing rapid comparison with the target data's hash without requiring access to the original source data, thereby minimizing verification time while ensuring accurate corruption detection
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for source versus target metadata-based data integrity checking. Concerning backup operations directed to protecting given data, said given data may be subjected to corruption detection at the source prior to initiating a backup operation, however, said given data may not be checked for data integrity following transfer of said given data to a target storage medium prior to committing the said given data thereto. That is, at least presently, the prospect of data corruption compromising given data during the time window through which the given data journeys, usually via a network, from its source to a target storage medium, is often overlooked. The disclosed method and system, accordingly, propose a scheme directed to detecting corruption amongst data transferred from a source to a target storage medium, and handling said data given the determined integrity of said data.