Transferring data utilizing a transfer token module

• US 10,102,063 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grube, Gary W., Markison, Timothy W., Dhuse, Greg, Resch, Jason K., Volvovski, Ilya, Leggette, Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US13/372,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 709217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• 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]

Abstract

A method for data transfer from a first computing device to a second computing device begins when the first computing device is paired with a transfer token module by the first computing device sending the data to the transfer token module. The method continues with the transfer token module encoding the data utilizing a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce a set of encoded data slices and sending the set of encoded data slices to a target destination. The method continues, when the second computing device is paired with the transfer token module, with the transfer token module retrieving the set of encoded data slices from the target destination and decoding the set of encoded data slices utilizing the dispersed storage error encoding function to recapture the data. The method continues with the second computing device storing the data.

Claims

1. A method for data transfer from a first computing device to a second computing device using a dispersed storage network (DSN) transfer token module comprises:

retaining security information and a dispersed storage error encoding function within the dispersed storage network (DSN) transfer token module, wherein the security information includes one or more of;

an encryption algorithm identifier (ID), encryption algorithm software, an encryption key, a security requirement, a data segment ID of a data segment to encrypt, or an access credential and wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function includes a pillar width and decode threshold combination, where the pillar width reflects a number of distinct dispersed storage (DS) units;

when the first computing device is paired with the DSN transfer token module, wherein being paired requires connectivity and substantially close physical proximity;

sending, by the first computing device, the data to the DSN transfer token module;

encoding, by the DSN transfer token module, the data utilizing the security information and dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded data slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of the data, wherein the decode threshold number is less than the pillar width number of encoded data slices within the set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices; and

sending, by the DSN transfer token module via the first computing device, the one or more sets of encoded data slices to a target destination; and

when the second computing device is paired with the DSN transfer token module;

retrieving, by the DSN transfer token module via the second computing device, the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination;

decoding, by the DSN transfer token module, the one or more sets of encoded data slices utilizing the security information and the dispersed storage error encoding function to recapture the data; and

storing, by the second computing device, the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function comprises:

a set of dispersed storage error encoding parameters, including the pillar width and decode threshold combination, which are unique to the DSN transfer token module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target destination comprises one or more of:

the second computing device;

the first computing device;

dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

a server;

a third computing device; and

network memory.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

sending the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination via a network; and

retrieving the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination via the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the data to the DSN transfer token module further comprises:

sending, by the DSN transfer token module, a graphic user interface (GUI) regarding the data transfer;

receiving, by the first computing device, a response to the GUI regarding the data transfer; and

in accordance with the response, sending, by the first computing device, the data to the DSN transfer token module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the data to the DSN transfer token module further comprises:

generating, by the first computing device, a transfer request that includes the data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination further comprises:

generating, by the DSN transfer token module, transfer information regarding transferring the data to the second computing device; and

storing, by the DSN transfer token module, the transfer information in memory of the DSN transfer token module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the retrieving of the one or more sets of encoded data slices further comprises:

generating, by the second computing device, a transfer completion request that includes transfer completion information;

sending, by the second computing device, the transfer completion request to the DSN transfer token module;

retrieving, by the DSN transfer token module, the transfer information from the memory of the DSN transfer token module based on the transfer completion information;

generating, by the DSN transfer token module, one or more sets of at least a threshold number of data slice read requests based on the transfer information; and

sending, by the DSN transfer token module via the second computing device, the one or more sets of the at least the threshold number of data slice read requests to the target destination.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprises at least one of:

when the data is stored by the second computing device;

deleting, by the DSN transfer token module, the transfer information; and

facilitating, by the DSN transfer token module, deletion of the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination.

10. A dispersed storage network (DSN) transfer token module comprises:

an interface module for interfacing with a first computing device and a second computing device;

memory, wherein security information and a dispersed storage error encoding function are stored within the memory, wherein the security information includes one or more of;

an encryption algorithm identifier (ID), encryption algorithm software, an encryption key, a security requirement, a data segment ID of a data segment to encrypt, or an access credential and wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function includes a pillar width and decode threshold combination, where the pillar width reflects a number of distinct dispersed storage (DS) units;

a processing module operably coupled to the memory and operable to, when the DSN transfer token module is paired with the first computing device, wherein being paired requires connectivity and substantially close physical proximity;

receive data from the first computing device;

encode the data utilizing the dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded data slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the pillar width set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of the data, wherein the decode threshold number is less than a number of encoded data slices within the set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices; and

send, via the first computing device, the one or more sets of encoded data slices to a target destination; and

the processing module is further operable to, when the DSN transfer token module is paired with the second computing device;

retrieve, via the second computing device, the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination;

decode the one or more sets of encoded data slices utilizing the dispersed storage error encoding function to recapture the data; and

send the data to the second computing device for storage by the second computing device.

11. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the interface module comprises at least one of:

a universal serial bus (USB) interface module;

a Bluetooth interface module;

a fire-wire interface module;

a 60GHz wireless transceiver; and

a Wi-Fi interface module.

12. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function comprises:

a set of dispersed storage error encoding parameters, including the pillar width and decode threshold combination, which are unique to the DSN transfer token module.

13. The transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the target destination comprises one or more of:

the second computing device;

the first computing device;

dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

a server;

a third computing device; and

network memory.

14. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination via a network when the DSN transfer token module is paired with the first computing device; and

retrieve the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination via the network when the DSN transfer token module is paired with the second computing device.

15. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the processing module functions to receive data from the first computing device by:

sending a graphic user interface (GUI) regarding a data transfer; and

receiving the data from the first computing device in accordance with a response to the GUI received by the first computing device.

16. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the processing module further functions to receive data from the first computing device by:

receiving a transfer request that includes the data from the first computing device.

17. The DSN transfer token module of claim 10, wherein the processing module functions to send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination by:

generating transfer information regarding transferring the data to the second computing device; and

storing the transfer information in memory of the DSN transfer token module.

18. The DSN transfer token module of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to retrieve the one or more sets of encoded data slices by:

receiving a transfer completion request that includes transfer completion information from the second computing device;

retrieving the transfer information from the memory of the DSN transfer token module based on the transfer completion information;

generating one or more sets of at least a threshold number of data slice read requests based on the transfer information; and

sending, via the second computing device, the one or more sets of the at least the threshold number of data slice read requests to the target destination.

19. The DSN transfer token module of claim 17, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when the data is stored by the second computing device;

delete the transfer information; and

facilitate deletion of the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination.

20. A module for enabling a first computing device to transfer data from the first computing device to a second computing device using a dispersed storage network (DSN) transfer token module when the first computing device is paired with the DSN transfer token module, wherein being paired requires connectivity and substantially close physical proximity, the module comprises:

a first module that, when operable within the first computing device, causes the first computing device to send the data to the DSN transfer token module, wherein the DSN transfer token module retains security information and a dispersed storage error encoding function, wherein the security information includes one or more of;

an encryption algorithm identifier (ID), encryption algorithm software, an encryption key, a security requirement, a data segment ID of a data segment to encrypt, or an access credential and wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function includes a pillar width and decode threshold combination, where the pillar width reflects a number of distinct dispersed storage (DS) units;

a second module that, when operable within the first computing device, causes the first computing device to receive one or more sets of encoded data slices from the DSN transfer token module, wherein the DSN transfer token module encodes the data utilizing the dispersed storage error encoding function to produce the one or more sets of encoded data slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of the data, wherein the decode threshold number is less than the pillar width number of encoded data slices within the set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices; and

a third module that, when operable within the first computing device, causes the first computing device to send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to a target destination.

21. The module of claim 20, wherein the target destination comprises one or more of:

the second computing device;

the first computing device;

dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

a server;

a third computing device; and

network memory.

22. The module of claim 20, wherein the third module functions to send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination by:

sending the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the target destination via a network.

23. The module of claim 20, wherein the first module functions to send the data to the DSN transfer token module by one or more of:

receiving a graphic user interface (GUI) regarding the data transfer from the DSN transfer token module;

outputting the GUI regarding the data transfer to a first computing device user interface;

receiving a response to the GUI regarding the data transfer; and

in accordance with the response, sending the data to the DSN transfer token module.

24. The module of claim 20, wherein the first module further functions to send the data to the DSN transfer token module by:

generating a transfer request that includes the data.

25. A module for enabling a second computing device to transfer data from a first computing device to the second computing device using a dispersed storage network (DSN) transfer token module when the second computing device is paired with the DSN transfer token module, wherein being paired requires connectivity and substantially close physical proximity, the module comprises:

a first module that, when operable within the second computing device, causes the second computing device to retrieve one or more sets of encoded data slices from a target destination, wherein the data was encoded utilizing a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce the one or more sets of encoded data slices and wherein the one or more sets of encoded data slices were stored at the target destination, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a pillar width set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of the data, wherein the decode threshold number is less than a number of encoded data slices within the set of the one or more sets of encoded data slices;

a second module that, when operable within the second computing device, causes the second computing device to send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the DSN transfer token module, wherein the DSN transfer token module retains security information and the dispersed storage error encoding function, wherein the security information includes one or more of;

an encryption algorithm identifier (ID), encryption algorithm software, an encryption key, a security requirement, a data segment ID of a data segment to encrypt, or an access credential and wherein the dispersed storage error encoding function includes the pillar width and decode threshold combination, where the pillar width reflects a number of distinct dispersed storage (DS) units;

a third module that, when operable within the first computing device, causes the first computing device to receive the data from the DSN transfer token module, wherein the DSN transfer token module decodes the one or more sets of encoded data slices utilizing the dispersed storage error encoding function to recapture the data; and

a fourth module that, when operable within the first computing device, causes the first computing device to store the data.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the target destination comprises one or more of:

the second computing device;

the first computing device;

dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

a server;

a third computing device; and

network memory.

27. The module of claim 25, wherein the first module functions to retrieve the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination by:

retrieving the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination via a network.

28. The module of claim 25, wherein the first module further functions to retrieve the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination by:

generating a transfer completion request that includes transfer completion information;

sending the transfer completion request to the DSN transfer token module;

receiving one or more sets of at least a threshold number of data slice read requests from the DSN transfer token module, wherein the one or more sets of at least the threshold number of data slice read requests are generated based on the transfer completion request;

sending the one or more sets of at least the threshold number of data slice read requests to the target destination; and

receiving the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the target destination.

29. The module of claim 25, wherein the fourth module functions to store the data by one or more of:

storing the data in a local memory of the second computing device; and

sending a storage complete indication to the DSN transfer token module when the data is successfully stored in the local memory of the second computing device.