SECURE AND SCALABLE DATA TRANSFER USING A HYBRID BLOCKCHAIN-BASED APPROACH

• US 20170329980A1
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hu, Chaoxin, Lu, Kecheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,362,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• 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 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• 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

Techniques for facilitating secure and scalable data transfers using a hybrid blockchain-based approach are provided. In one embodiment, a first computer system at a first site can transmit a token to a second computer system at a second site, where the token includes metadata regarding a data set to be transferred from the first computer system to the second computer system and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the data set will be temporarily stored. The token can be transmitted using a blockchain network that is accessible to the first and second computer systems via a public network. The first computer system can then upload the data set to the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network, and the second computer system can download the data set from the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data between computer systems, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first computer system at a first site, a token to a second computer system at a second site, wherein the token includes metadata regarding a data set to be transferred from the first computer system to the second computer system and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the data set will be temporarily stored, and wherein the token is transmitted using a blockchain network that is accessible to the first and second computer systems via a public network; and

uploading, by the first computer system, the data set to the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data set is part of a larger data payload that comprises other data sets, and wherein the transmitting and the uploading are repeated for each of the other data sets.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data set is split into multiple data subsets, and wherein the multiple data subsets are uploaded to the one or more cloud storage service addresses in parallel.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to the transmitting:

measuring, for each of a plurality of candidate cloud storage service addresses, a rate of network throughput between the first computer system and the candidate cloud storage service address; and

selecting one or more of the candidate cloud storage service addresses for inclusion in the token based on their measured network throughput.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein, concurrently with or subsequent to the uploading, the data set is downloaded by the second computer system from the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, by the first computer system using the blockchain network, an acknowledgement token from the second computer system indicating that the data set was successfully downloaded.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computer system using the blockchain network, a new token to the second computer system prior to receiving the acknowledgement token, the new token including metadata regarding a subsequent data set to be transferred and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the subsequent data set will be temporarily stored.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program code executable by a first computer system at a first site, the program code embodying a method comprising:

transmitting a token to a second computer system at a second site, wherein the token includes metadata regarding a data set to be transferred from the first computer system to the second computer system and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the data set will be temporarily stored, and wherein the token is transmitted using a blockchain network that is accessible to the first and second computer systems via a public network; and

uploading the data set to the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the data set is part of a larger data payload that comprises other data sets, and wherein the transmitting and the uploading are repeated for each of the other data sets.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the data set is split into multiple data subsets, and wherein the multiple data subsets are uploaded to the one or more cloud storage service addresses in parallel.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises, prior to the transmitting:

measuring, for each of a plurality of candidate cloud storage service addresses, a rate of network throughput between the first computer system and the candidate cloud storage service address; and

selecting one or more of the candidate cloud storage service addresses for inclusion in the token based on their measured network throughput.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein, concurrently with or subsequent to the uploading, the data set is downloaded by the second computer system from the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, using the blockchain network, an acknowledgement token from the second computer system indicating that the data set was successfully downloaded.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, using the blockchain network, a new token to the second computer system prior to receiving the acknowledgement token, the new token including metadata regarding a subsequent data set to be transferred and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the subsequent data set will be temporarily stored.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program code for transferring data to another computer system, the program code causing the processor to;

transmit a token to said another computer system, wherein the token includes metadata regarding a data set to be transferred to said another computer system and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the data set will be temporarily stored, and wherein the token is transmitted using a blockchain network that is accessible to the computer system and said another computer system via a public network; and

upload the data set to the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the data set is part of a larger data payload that comprises other data sets, and wherein the transmitting and the uploading are repeated for each of the other data sets.

17. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the data set is split into multiple data subsets, and wherein the multiple data subsets are uploaded to the one or more cloud storage service addresses in parallel.

18. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the program code further causes the processor to, prior to the transmitting:

measure, for each of a plurality of candidate cloud storage service addresses, a rate of network throughput between the computer system and the candidate cloud storage service address; and

select one or more of the candidate cloud storage service addresses for inclusion in the token based on their measured network throughput.

19. The computer system of claim 15 wherein, concurrently with or subsequent to the uploading, the data set is downloaded by said another computer system from the one or more cloud storage service addresses via the public network.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the program code further causes the processor to:

receive, using the blockchain network, an acknowledgement token from said another computer system indicating that the data set was successfully downloaded.

21. The computer system of claim 20 wherein the program code further causes the processor to:

transmit, using the blockchain network, a new token to said another computer system prior to receiving the acknowledgement token, the new token including metadata regarding a subsequent data set to be transferred and one or more cloud storage service addresses where the subsequent data set will be temporarily stored.