Method and system for long-term digital data storage

• US 6,606,693 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Morris
• Original Assignee: Alan Morris
• Inventors: Morris, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bragdon, Reginald G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJAS, MIDYS
• Application Number:
  US10/175,063
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 711/161, 711/162, 707/204, 714/6, 714/7, 714/42
• US Class Current: 711/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

An archival system of the present invention includes a controller and multiple storage mediums that are used for long-term storage of vast amounts of digital data. The archival system verifies that the original digital data remains intact and error-free, byte-by-byte, through time. The archival system makes it possible to migrate the digital data files onto new storage media, correct byte-by-byte to the original files, as new storage media and machines are developed and proven. The system also allows data to be accessed that is then-currently needed, while the storage of the data continues on in time, undisturbed and uncorrupted. The archival system enhances the security of the archived data through physical movement of duplicated archival data storage mediums to remote locations. This invention for long-term, error free storage of digital files solves (provides the solution for) the problems of backward-read compatibility and the uncertainty of storage media failure.

Claims

1. A long-term storage system for storing data from a source medium, the system comprising:

a first long-term data storage medium array having a plurality of long-term data storage medium, each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium storing the same data; and

,

a controller for writing the data to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium from a reference medium and verifying that the data written to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the reference medium, and at a later time polling the data written to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium to ensure that the data stored on each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium is the same.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference medium comprises one of said plurality of long-term data storage medium.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference medium comprises the source medium.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium are write-protected to prevent further data being written to said plurality of long-term data storage medium after the data to be stored are written to the plurality of long-term data storage medium.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller identifies that one of the plurality of long-term data storage medium is defective and should be removed and destroyed if the controller is unable to verify that the data stored on that one of the plurality of long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the reference medium.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an accessibility medium, said controller writing the data from one of said plurality of long-term data storage mediums to said accessibility medium and verifying that the data written to said accessibility medium is the same as that one of said plurality of long-term data storage medium.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a user can access the data from said accessibility medium without disturbing the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium array.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said accessibility medium can be removed from the storage system for use outside the storage system, but the first long-term data storage medium array is not accessible outside the storage system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller verifies the data by comparing the data written to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium with the reference medium on a byte-by-byte basis.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of long-term data storage mediums comprise a first long-term data storage medium, second long-term data storage medium and third long-term data storage medium.

11. The system of claim 1, said controller polling the plurality of long-term data storage medium to verify that the data stored on each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium is the same and, if not the same, then indicating that one of the plurality of long-term data storage medium is defective.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the defective long-term data storage medium is removed and destroyed.

13. The system of claim 1, said controller polling the plurality of long-term data storage medium to verify that the data stored on each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium is the same and, if not the same, then identifying the data addresses of each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium that is not the same.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second long-term data storage medium array having a plurality of long-term data storage medium, the controller writing the data to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium of said second medium array from one of the plurality of long-term data storage medium of said first long-term data storage medium array and verifying that the data written to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium of said second long-term data storage medium array is the same as the data stored on the one of the plurality of long-term data storage medium of the first long-term data storage medium array.

15. A method for long-term storage of data stored on a source medium, the method comprising:

storing the data on the source medium to a first long-term data storage medium, and determining if the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the source medium and discarding the first long-term data storage medium if the data is not the same;

storing the data on the first long-term data storage medium to a second long-term data storage medium, and determining if the data stored on the second long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium and discarding the second long-term data storage medium if the data is not the same; and

,

polling, at a later time, the data written to each of said plurality of long-term data storage medium.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the data on the first long-term data storage medium to a third long-term data storage medium, and determining if the data stored on the third long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium and discarding the third long-term data storage medium if the data is not the same.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of write-protecting the plurality of long-term data storage medium to prevent further data from being written to the plurality of long-term data storage medium after the data to be stored are written to the plurality of long-term data storage medium.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the data on the first long-term data storage medium to an accessibility medium, and determining if the data stored on the accessibility medium is the same as the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium and discarding the accessibility medium if the data is not the same, wherein a user can access the data from the accessibility medium without disturbing the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining if the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the source medium comprises comparing the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium with the data stored on the source medium on a byte-by-byte basis, and the step of determining if the data stored on the second long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium comprises comparing the data stored on the second long-term data storage medium with the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium on a byte-by-byte basis.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of polling the first and second long-term data storage mediums to verify that the data stored on each of the long-term data storage medium are the same and, if not, indicating that one of the long-term data storage mediums is defective.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

storing the data on the first long-term data storage medium to a third long-term data storage medium, and determining if the data stored on the third long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the first long-term data storage medium and discarding the third long-term data storage medium if the data is not the same; and

,

storing the data on the third long-term data storage medium to a fourth long-term data storage medium, and determining if the data stored on the fourth long-term data storage medium is the same as the data stored on the third long-term data storage medium and discarding the fourth long-term data storage medium if the data is not the same.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first long-term data storage medium and the second long-term data storage medium form a first long-term data storage medium array and the third long-term data storage medium and fourth long-term data storage medium form a second long-term data storage medium array.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first long-term data storage medium array and second long-term data storage medium array are part of a storage system, the first long-term data storage medium array is not accessible outside the storage system, and the second long-term data storage medium array can be removed from the storage system for use outside the storage system.