CONFIRMING DATA CONSISTENCY IN A DATA STORAGE ENVIRONMENT
First Claim
1. A method for confirming the validity of replicated data at a data storage site, the method comprising:
- a) utilizing a hash function, computing a first hash value based on first data at a first data storage site, the first hash value being smaller in size than the first data;
b) utilizing the same hash function, computing a second hash value based on second data at a second data storage site, the first data having been previously replicated from the first data storage site to the second data storage site as the second data, and the second hash value being smaller in size than the second data; and
c) comparing the first and second hash values to determine whether the second data is a valid replication of the first data, wherein a mismatch between the first and second hash values indicates that at least one of the first or second data storage sites includes invalid data.
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Abstract
A method for confirming replicated data at a data site, including utilizing a hash function, computing a first hash value based on first data at a first data site and utilizing the same hash function, computing a second hash value based on second data at a second data site, wherein the first data had previously been replicated from the first data site to the second data site as the second data. The method also includes comparing the first and second hash values to determine whether the second data is a valid replication of the first data. In additional embodiments, the first data may be modified based on seed data prior to computing the first hash value and the second data may be modified based on the same seed data prior to computing the second hash value. The process can be repeated to increase reliability of the results.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for confirming the validity of replicated data at a data storage site, the method comprising:
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a) utilizing a hash function, computing a first hash value based on first data at a first data storage site, the first hash value being smaller in size than the first data; b) utilizing the same hash function, computing a second hash value based on second data at a second data storage site, the first data having been previously replicated from the first data storage site to the second data storage site as the second data, and the second hash value being smaller in size than the second data; and c) comparing the first and second hash values to determine whether the second data is a valid replication of the first data, wherein a mismatch between the first and second hash values indicates that at least one of the first or second data storage sites includes invalid data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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7. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the seed data via the network from at least one of the first or second data storage sites to the other of the first or second data storage sites for use by both first and second data storage sites.
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13. An information handling system comprising:
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a first data storage site configured to compute a first hash value based on first data stored at the first data storage site, utilizing a hash function; and a second data storage site, comprising data replicated from the first data storage site, and configured to compute a second hash value based on second data stored at the second data storage site, utilizing the same hash function; wherein at least one of the first data storage site and second data storage site is configured to transmit its computed hash value via a computer network to the other of the first data storage site and second data storage site for comparison of the first hash value with the second hash value to determine whether the second data is a valid replication of the first data, wherein a mismatch between the first and second hash values indicates that at least one of the first or second data storage sites includes invalid data. - View Dependent Claims (14, 16)
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15. (canceled)
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17. A method for confirming the validity of replicated data at a data storage site, the method comprising:
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a) utilizing a hash function, computing a first hash value based on a selected portion of first data at a first data storage site; b) utilizing the same hash function, computing a second hash value based on a selected portion of second data at a second data storage site, the first data having been previously replicated from the first data storage site to the second data storage site as the second data, and the selected portion of second data corresponding to the selected portion of first data; c) comparing the first and second hash values to determine whether the selected portion of second data is a valid replication of the selected portion of first data; and d) repeating steps a) through c) a plurality of times, each time utilizing a different selected portion of the first data and corresponding selected portion of the second data than in a previous time, wherein a mismatch between the first and second hash values indicates that at least one of the first or second data storage sites includes invalid data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification