DATA ARCHIVING SYSTEM

• US 20100299315A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storcentric DIP Lender LLC
• Original Assignee: Nexsan Technologies Canada Inc. (StorCentric, Inc.)
• Inventors: GOSNELL, Thomas F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/690
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC

Abstract

An encrypted file storage solution consists of a cluster of processing nodes, external data storage, and a software agent (the “File System Watcher”), which is installed on the application servers. Cluster sizes of one node up to many hundreds of nodes are possible. There are also remote “Key Servers” which provide various services to one or more clusters. The preceding describes a preferred embodiment, though in some cases it may be desirable to “collapse” some of the functionality into a smaller number of hardware devices, typically trading off cost versus security and fault-tolerance.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of archiving data files, comprising:

serializing the files by assigning an associative serial number to each file;

storing each file and its associative serial number to a first storage; and

verifying the presence of each stored file serially using the stored associative serial numbers and reporting an error if a file is missing.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the files from a client.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating an associative cryptographic hash of each file;

storing the associative cryptographic hash of each file to the first storage;

re-computing the associative cryptographic hash of a given file;

verifying the authenticity of the given file by comparing its respective stored associative cryptographic hash to the re-computed cryptographic hash.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein serializing the files by assigning the associative serial number to each file further comprises attaching a server identification field to the associative serial number to indicate the server that issued the associative serial number.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the associative serial number for retrieval of a corresponding stored file; and

retrieving the corresponding stored file.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the associative serial number is provided by means of a HTTP symbolic link.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

reporting an error when the comparison indicates a mismatch.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

periodically replicating the first storage to a second storage;

if an error is reported indicating a file is missing from the first storage, verifying the presence of the missing file in the second storage; and

if an error is reported indicating a mismatch in the first storage, verifying the authenticity of the mismatched file in the second storage.

9. A computer-implemented method of storing data files, comprising:

receiving data files for storage;

serializing the files by assigning an associative serial number to each file;

creating an associative cryptographic hash of each file;

generating a first list of the serialized associative cryptographic hashes of the received files;

closing the first list after a predetermined time interval;

determining an associative cryptographic hash of the closed first list;

storing the closed list in a first storage;

iteratively generating, closing, and storing subsequent lists of serialized associative cryptographic hashes of received files, wherein the first element of each subsequent list is the associative cryptographic hash of the last closed list.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the lists are closed after a predetermined number of associative cryptographic hashes have been recorded.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

re-computing the associative cryptographic hash of a list;

verifying the authenticity of a list by comparing the recorded associative cryptographic hash of the list in a subsequent list to the re-computed cryptographic hash of the list; and

reporting an error when the comparison indicates a mismatch.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

periodically storing the closed lists in a second storage for verification.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

re-computing the associative cryptographic hash of a list stored in the second storage;

verifying the authenticity of the list in the second storage, by comparing the recorded associative cryptographic hash of the list in a subsequent list to the re-computed associative cryptographic hash of the list; and

reporting an error when the comparison indicates a mismatch.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

encrypting at least one of the files received for storage with an encryption key,

recording a record of the serial number of the encryption key used and the associated cryptographic hash of the at least one file in a key manager.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising:

generating unique encryption keys in a key server;

obtaining the unique encryption key from the key server for encrypting the at least one of the files received for storage; and

recording the record of the serial number of the encryption key used and the associated cryptographic hash of the at least one file in the key server.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

assigning a minimum retention date and expiry date for each file received for storage;

generating a list of stored files ready for deletion according to the minimum retention date and expiry date; and

deleting the stored files and their associative parts in the list upon approval.

17. A computer-implemented method of archiving data, comprising:

receiving data files for storage from a client node;

encrypting each file received for storage with a unique encryption key;

generating a list of one or more files for deletion; and

deleting the one or more files in the list by deleting their respective unique encryption keys.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating and storing a database of unique encryption keys in one or more key containers; and

encrypting the one or more key containers with a master key.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising retiring a master key after a predetermined period of time, wherein retiring the master key includes:

obtaining a new master key;

decrypting the one or more key containers with the master key;

encrypting the one or more key containers with the new master key; and

locking away the master key.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

creating an associative cryptographic hash of each file received;

creating an associative cryptographic hash of each encrypted file;

storing each encrypted file and its associative cryptographic hash to a first storage;

re-computing the associative cryptographic hash of a given encrypted file;

verifying the authenticity of the given encrypted file by comparing its stored associative cryptographic hash to its re-computed cryptographic hash; and

reporting an error when the comparison indicates a mismatch.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

creating an associative cryptographic hash of each file received;

storing the associative cryptographic hash of each file received;

creating an associative cryptographic hash for each file on the client site;

comparing each associative cryptographic hash of each file on the client site to the list of one or more files for deletion; and

notifying a client of the existence of uncontrolled copies of one or more files marked for deletion.