Accessing data based on a dispersed storage network rebuilding issue

• US 10,095,872 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Volvovski, Ilya, Cabral, Bruno Hennig, Motwani, Manish, Cocagne, Thomas Darrel, Markison, Timothy W., Grube, Gary W., Leggette, Wesley, Resch, Jason K., Storm, Michael Colin, Dhuse, Greg, Vedpathak, Yogesh Ramesh, Khadiwala, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, III, Albert M
• Application Number:
  US14/675,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20150355979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB

Abstract

A method begins by a set of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) storing a plurality of encoded data slices, where each storage unit stores a unique sub-set of encoded data slices. The method continues with each storage unit dispersed storage error encoding at least a recovery threshold number of encoded data slices to produce a local set of encoded recovery data slices. In response to a retrieval request, the method continues with a device identifying a storage unit of an initial recovery number of storage units having a rebuilding issue and determining whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at a DSN level. When the rebuilding issue is correctable at the DSN level the method continues with the device selecting another storage unit to replace the storage unit to produce a recovery number of storage units and sending retrieve requests to the recovery number of storage units.

Claims

1. A method comprises:

storing, by a set of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN), a plurality of encoded data slices, wherein each storage unit of the set of storage units stores a unique sub-set of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices and wherein a data segment of data is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the plurality of encoded data slices;

dispersed storage error encoding, by each storage unit of the set of storage units, at least a recovery threshold number of encoded data slices of the unique sub-set of encoded data slices to produce a local set of encoded recovery data slices; and

in response to a retrieval request for the data segment;

identifying, by a device of the DSN, a desired sub-set of storage units of the set of storage units to produce an initial recovery number of storage units;

identifying, by the device, a storage unit of the initial recovery number of storage units having a rebuilding issue;

determining, by the device, whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at a local storage unit level or at a DSN level;

when the rebuilding issue is correctable at the DSN level, selecting, by the device, another storage unit from remaining storage units of the set of storage units to replace the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the DSN level to produce a recovery number of storage units; and

sending, by the device, retrieve requests to the recovery number of storage units.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the rebuilding issue is correctable at the local level, sending, by the device, the retrieve requests to the initial recovery number of storage units;

in response to one of the retrieve requests, rebuilding, by the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local level, an encoded data slice of the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices based on the local set of encoded recovery data slices to produce a rebuilt encoded data slice; and

sending, by the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local level, the rebuilt encoded data slice and remaining encoded data slices of the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices to the device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices is equal to a number of encoded data slices in the unique sub-set of encoded data slices.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices is less than a number of encoded data slices in the unique sub-set of encoded data slices.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises:

overwriting, by each of the storage units, one or more encoded data slices of the unique sub-set of encoded data slices with the local set of encoded recovery data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the desired sub-set of storage units comprises one or more of:

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on reliability of the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units;

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on decoding efficiency of the unique sets of encoded data slices stored by the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units; and

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on availability of the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at the local storage unit level or at the DSN level comprises:

obtaining DSN level rebuilding information;

interpreting the DSN level rebuilding information to identify one or more encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding;

identifying the storage unit having the rebuilding issue based on the identity of the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding; and

determining that the storage unit having the rebuilding issue is capable of locally rebuilding the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding when the number of encoded recovery data slices in the local set of encoded recovery data slices is equal to or greater than the number of encoded data slices in the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the other storage unit comprises:

determining that the other storage unit does not have the rebuilding issue;

or

determining that the other storage unit has the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local storage unit level.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices from the recovery number of storage units is approximately equal to a decode threshold number of the plurality of encoded data slices, wherein the decode threshold number corresponds to a minimum number of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices that is required to recover the data segment.

10. 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 of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the one or more computing devices to;

store, by a set of storage units of the DSN, a plurality of encoded data slices, wherein each storage unit of the set of storage units stores a unique sub-set of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices and wherein a data segment of data is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the plurality of encoded data slices;

dispersed storage error encode, by each storage unit of the set of storage units, at least a recovery threshold number of encoded data slices of the unique sub-set of encoded data slices to produce a local set of encoded recovery data slices; and

in response to a retrieval request for the data segment;

identify, by a device of the DSN, a desired sub-set of storage units of the set of storage units to produce an initial recovery number of storage units;

identify, by the device, a storage unit of the initial recovery number of storage units having a rebuilding issue;

determine, by the device, whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at a local storage unit level or at a DSN level;

when the rebuilding issue is correctable at the DSN level, select, by the device, another storage unit from remaining storage units of the set of storage units to replace the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the DSN level to produce a recovery number of storage units; and

send, by the device, retrieve requests to the recovery number of storage units.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 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 of the DSN to;

when the rebuilding issue is correctable at the local level, send, by the device, the retrieve requests to the initial recovery number of storage units;

in response to one of the retrieve requests, rebuilding, by the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local level, an encoded data slice of the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices based on the local set of encoded recovery data slices to produce a rebuilt encoded data slice; and

sending, by the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local level, the rebuilt encoded data slice and remaining encoded data slices of the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices to the device.

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

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices is equal to a number of encoded data slices in the unique sub-set of encoded data slices.

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

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices is less than a number of encoded data slices in the unique sub-set of encoded data slices.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 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 of the DSN to;

overwrite, by each of the storage units, one or more encoded data slices of the unique sub-set of encoded data slices with the local set of encoded recovery data.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to identify the desired sub-set of storage units by one or more of:

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on reliability of the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units;

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on decoding efficiency of the unique sets of encoded data slices stored by the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units; and

identifying the desired sub-set of storage units based on availability of the storage units in the desired sub-set of storage units.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to determine whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at the local storage unit level or at the DSN level by:

obtaining DSN level rebuilding information;

interpreting the DSN level rebuilding information to identify one or more encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding;

identifying the storage unit having the rebuilding issue based on the identity of the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding; and

determining that the storage unit having the rebuilding issue is capable of locally rebuilding the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding when the number of encoded recovery data slices in the local set of encoded recovery data slices is equal to or greater than the number of encoded data slices in the one or more encoded data slices requiring rebuilding.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to select the other storage unit by:

determining that the other storage unit does not have the rebuilding issue;

or

determining that the other storage unit has the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the local storage unit level.

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

the recovery threshold number of encoded data slices from the recovery number of storage units is approximately equal to a decode threshold number of the plurality of encoded data slices, wherein the decode threshold number corresponds to a minimum number of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices that is required to recover the data segment.