Utilizing an address-independent, non-repeating encryption key to encrypt data

• US 10,607,034 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2018
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Inventors: Colgrove, John, McAuliffe, Mark L., Miller, Ethan L., Neelakantam, Naveen, Sanvido, Marco, Vachharajani, Neil A., Vohra, Taher
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Application Number:
  US16/040,575
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/065 Encryption by serially and continuously modifying data stream elements, e.g. stream cipher systems, RC4, SEAL or A5/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage

Abstract

Utilizing a non-repeating identifier to encrypt data, including: receiving a request to write data to a storage device; selecting a segment-offset pair where the data will be stored, where the selected segment-offset pair is unique to every other segment-offset pair utilized during the lifetime of the storage device; and encrypting the data in dependence upon an identifier of the segment-offset pair.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing an address-independent, non-repeating encryption key to encrypt data, the method comprising:

receiving a request to write data to a storage device in a storage array;

selecting a location where the data will be stored, wherein the selected location is unique relative to every other location identifier previously utilized by the storage device, wherein the selected location identifier cannot be reutilized to service another request to write data to the storage device, and wherein multiple location identifiers map to the same physical location within the storage device during the lifetime of the storage device;

utilizing the location identifier to encrypt the data; and

writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location, including utilizing the encryption key.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location where the data will be stored further comprises:

determining whether an active segment has free space to store the data;

responsive to determining that the active segment does have free space to store the data, storing the data in the active segment; and

responsive to determining that the active segment does not have free space to store the data;

creating a new segment; and

storing the data in the new segment.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a monotonically increasing number for the new location identifier.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a Bloom filter to verify that the new location identifier is unique relative to all other location identifiers previously utilized by the storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location further comprises:

transmitting encrypted data to the storage device; and

storing the encrypted data in the storage device.

6. The method of claim 1 writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location further comprises:

transmitting unencrypted data to the storage device; and

storing encrypted data in the storage device.

7. An apparatus for utilizing an address-independent, non-repeating encryption key to encrypt data, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

receiving a request to write data to a storage device in a storage array;

selecting a location where the data will be stored, wherein the selected location is unique relative to every other location identifier previously utilized by the storage device, wherein the selected location identifier cannot be reutilized to service another request to write data to the storage device, and wherein multiple location identifiers map to the same physical location within the storage device during the lifetime of the storage device;

utilizing the location identifier to encrypt the data; and

writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location, including utilizing the encryption key.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein selecting the location where the data will be stored further comprises:

determining whether an active segment has free space to store the data;

responsive to determining that the active segment does have free space to store the data, storing the data in the active segment; and

responsive to determining that the active segment does not have free space to store the data;

creating a new segment; and

storing the data in the new segment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a monotonically increasing number for the new location identifier.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a Bloom filter to verify that the new location identifier is unique relative to all other location identifiers previously utilized by the storage device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location further comprises:

transmitting encrypted data to the storage device; and

storing the encrypted data in the storage device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location further comprises:

transmitting unencrypted data to the storage device; and

storing encrypted data in the storage device.

13. A computer program product for utilizing an address-independent, non-repeating encryption key to encrypt data, the computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium is not a signal;

the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of;

receiving a request to write data to a storage device in a storage array;

selecting a location where the data will be stored, wherein the selected location is unique relative to every other location identifier previously utilized by the storage device, wherein the selected location identifier cannot be reutilized to service another request to write data to the storage device, and wherein multiple location identifiers map to the same physical location within the storage device during the lifetime of the storage device;

utilizing the location identifier to encrypt the data; and

writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location, including utilizing the encryption key.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein selecting the location where the data will be stored further comprises:

determining whether an active segment has free space to store the data;

responsive to determining that the active segment does have free space to store the data, storing the data in the active segment; and

responsive to determining that the active segment does not have free space to store the data;

creating a new segment; and

storing the data in the new segment.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a monotonically increasing number for the new location identifier.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein creating the new segment further comprises selecting a new location identifier using a Bloom filter to verify that the new location identifier is unique relative to all other location identifiers previously utilized by the storage device.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein writing the encrypted data to the storage device at the selected location further comprises:

transmitting encrypted data to the storage device; and

storing the encrypted data in the storage device.