VIRTUALIZED DATA STORAGE VAULTS ON A DISPERSED DATA STORAGE NETWORK

• US 20110202568A1
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: MARK, ZACHARY, BELLANCA, JAMIE, FOSTER, LYNN, THORNTON, VANCE, TOLEDANO, SARAH, LEGGETTE, WESLEY, VOLVOVSKI, ILYA, DHUSE, GREG, GLADWIN, S. CHRISTOPHER, MOTWANI, MANISH
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/785
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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: Y10S 707/959 Network

Abstract

A slice server includes a network port, a central processing unit, and memory. The central processing unit (CPU) is operable to receive, via the network port, a request to access a virtual digital data storage vault. The CPU then determines whether the slice server supports the virtual digital data storage vault. When the slice server supports the virtual digital data storage vault, the CPU determines whether the request is valid. When the request is valid, the CPU executes the request to generate a response.

Claims

1. A slice server comprises:

a network port operable for coupling to a network;

a central processing unit operably coupled to the network port; and

memory operably coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit functions to;

receive, via the network port, a request to access a virtual digital data storage vault;

determine whether the virtual digital data storage vault is supported by the slice server;

when the virtual digital data storage vault is supported by the slice server, determine whether the request is valid; and

when the request is valid, execute the request to generate a response.

2. The slice server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit further functions to determine whether the request is valid by:

accessing a first vault data structure when the request corresponds to accessing a first virtual digital data storage vault, wherein the first vault data structure includes first user account information; and

accessing a second vault data structure when the request corresponds to accessing a second virtual digital data storage vault, wherein the second vault data structure includes second user account information.

3. The slice server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit further functions to determine whether the request is valid by:

validating a user account identified in the request; and

when the user account is valid, validating the request based on permissions associated with the user account.

4. The slice server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit further functions to determine whether the virtual digital data storage vault is supported by the slice server by:

accessing a list of virtual digital data storage vaults; and

determining whether the virtual digital data storage vault is on the list.

5. The slice server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

generate an error when the virtual digital data storage vault is not supported by the slice server or when the request is invalid.

6. The slice server of claim 1 further functions to:

store a slice of a first data segment in a first section of a corresponding portion of a first supported virtual digital data storage vault;

store a slice of a second data segment in a second section of the corresponding portion of the first supported virtual digital data storage vault;

store a slice of a third data segment in a first section of a corresponding portion of a second supported virtual digital data storage vault; and

store a slice of a fourth data segment in a second section of the corresponding portion of the second supported virtual digital data storage vault.

7. The slice server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit further functions to execute the request to generate a response by at least one of:

executing a read request and outputting a slice corresponding to the read request as the response;

executing a write request and outputting a corresponding write response; and

executing a modify request and outputting a corresponding modify response.