Generating molecular encoding information for data storage

• US 10,020,826 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gladwin, S. Christopher, Resch, Jason K., Motwani, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US14/613,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1008 in individual solid state devices G06F11/1004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/05 using block codes, i.e. a predetermined number of check bits joined to a predetermined number of information bits H03M13/2906 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/65 Purpose and implementation aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/6502 Reduction of hardware complexity or efficient processing
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/6505 Memory efficient implementations

Abstract

A method begins by a processing module of one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices generating a number for each encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices based on the encoded data slice, identifying a gene based on the number to produce an identified gene, and creating a linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified gene, where, for the set of encoded data slices, a set of identified genes and a set of linking identifiers are created. The method continues with the processing module generating molecular encoding information from the set of identified genes and the set of linking identifiers, where the molecular encoding information is used to create a molecular storage structure for each identified gene of the set of identified genes yielding a set of molecular storage structures.

Claims

1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices, the method comprises:

for each encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment is dispersed storage error encoded into the set of encoded data slices and wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices is needed to recover the data segment;

generating a number based on the encoded data slice;

identifying a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule structure based on the number to produce an identified DNA molecule, wherein the identified DNA molecule structure includes at least one oligonucleotide; and

creating a linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule, wherein, for the set of encoded data slices, a set of identified DNA molecules and a set of linking identifiers are created; and

generating molecular encoding information from the set of identified DNA molecules and the set of linking identifiers, wherein the molecular encoding information is used to create a molecular storage structure for each identified DNA molecule of the set of identified DNA molecules yielding a set of molecular storage structures.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

converting data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into the number; and

using the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

performing a mathematical function on data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices to produce the number; and

using the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

converting data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into a plurality of numbers, wherein the plurality of numbers includes the number;

generating a plurality of DNA molecule identifiers from the plurality of numbers;

using the plurality of DNA molecule identifiers to identify a plurality of DNA molecules, wherein the plurality of DNA molecules includes the identified DNA molecule; and

creating the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the plurality of identified DNA molecules.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

generating a preliminary number based on the encoded data slice;

determining whether the preliminary number substantially matches a known DNA molecule identifier;

when the preliminary number substantially matches the known DNA molecule identifier, setting the number to the preliminary number;

when the preliminary number does not substantially match the known DNA molecule identifier, performing a function on the preliminary number to produce the number; and

creating the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule and identifies the function performed on the preliminary number.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

verifying storage of the set of identified DNA molecules in the set of molecular storage structures by;

accessing at least a test decode threshold number of molecular storage structures of the set of molecular storage structures to retrieve at least a test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules of the set of identified DNA molecules;

recovering at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices from the at least the test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules;

reconstructing another data segment from the at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices to produce a reconstructed data segment; and

when the reconstructed data segment substantially matches the data segment, indicating a level of verifiable storage.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:

at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices, causes the one or more computing devices to;

for each encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment is dispersed storage error encoded into the set of encoded data slices and wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices is needed to recover the data segment;

generate a number based on the encoded data slice;

identify a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule structure based on the number to produce an identified DNA molecule, wherein the identified DNA molecule structure includes at least one oligonucleotide; and

create a linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule, wherein, for the set of encoded data slices, a set of identified DNA molecules and a set of linking identifiers are created; and

generate molecular encoding information from the set of identified DNA molecules and the set of linking identifiers, wherein the molecular encoding information is used to create a molecular storage structure for each identified DNA molecule of the set of identified DNA molecules yielding a set of molecular storage structures.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices to;

convert data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into the number; and

use the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices to;

perform a mathematical function on data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices to produce the number; and

use the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices to;

convert data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into a plurality of numbers, wherein the plurality of numbers includes the number;

generate a plurality of DNA molecule identifiers from the plurality of numbers;

use the plurality of DNA molecule identifiers to identify a plurality of DNA molecules, wherein the plurality of DNA molecules includes the identified DNA molecule; and

create the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the plurality of identified DNA molecules.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices to;

generate a preliminary number based on the encoded data slice;

determine whether the preliminary number substantially matches a known DNA molecule identifier;

when the preliminary number substantially matches the known DNA molecule identifier, set the number to the preliminary number;

when the preliminary number does not substantially match the known DNA molecule identifier, perform a function on the preliminary number to produce the number; and

create the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule and identifies the function performed on the preliminary number.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 further comprises:

the at least one memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices to;

verify storage of the set of identified DNA molecules in the set of molecular storage structures by;

accessing at least a test decode threshold number of molecular storage structures of the set of molecular storage structures to retrieve at least a test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules of the set of identified DNA molecules;

recovering at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices from the at least the test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules;

reconstructing another data segment from the at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices to produce a reconstructed data segment; and

when the reconstructed data segment substantially matches the data segment, indicating a level of verifiable storage.

13. A computing device of a group of computing devices, the computing device comprises:

an interface;

a local memory; and

a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the local memory, wherein the processing module functions to;

for each encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment is dispersed storage error encoded into the set of encoded data slices and wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices is needed to recover the data segment;

generate a number based on the encoded data slice;

identify a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule structure based on the number to produce an identified DNA molecule, wherein the identified DNA molecule structure includes at least one oligonucleotide; and

create a linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule, wherein, for the set of encoded data slices, a set of identified DNA molecules and a set of linking identifiers are created; and

generate molecular encoding information from the set of identified DNA molecules and the set of linking identifiers, wherein the molecular encoding information is used to create a molecular storage structure for each identified DNA molecule of the set of identified DNA molecules yielding a set of molecular storage structures.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing module further functions to:

convert data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into the number; and

use the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing module further functions to:

perform a mathematical function on data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices to produce the number; and

use the number as a DNA molecule identifier to identify the DNA molecule structure.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing module further functions to:

convert data of the encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices into a plurality of numbers, wherein the plurality of numbers includes the number;

generate a plurality of DNA molecule identifiers from the plurality of numbers;

use the plurality of DNA molecule identifiers to identify a plurality of DNA molecules, wherein the plurality of DNA molecules includes the identified DNA molecule; and

create the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the plurality of identified DNA molecules.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing module further functions to:

generate a preliminary number based on the encoded data slice;

determine whether the preliminary number substantially matches a known DNA molecule identifier;

when the preliminary number substantially matches the known DNA molecule identifier, set the number to the preliminary number;

when the preliminary number does not substantially match the known DNA molecule identifier, perform a function on the preliminary number to produce the number; and

create the linking identifier that links the encoded data slice to the identified DNA molecule and identifies the function performed on the preliminary number.

18. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing module further functions to:

verify storage of the set of identified DNA molecules in the set of molecular storage structures by;

accessing, via the interface, at least a test decode threshold number of molecular storage structures of the set of molecular storage structures to retrieve at least a test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules of the set of identified DNA molecules;

recovering at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices from the at least the test decode threshold number of identified DNA molecules;

reconstructing another data segment from the at least a test decode threshold number of test encoded data slices to produce a reconstructed data segment; and

when the reconstructed data segment substantially matches the data segment, indicating a level of verifiable storage.