Distributed data archive device and system

• US 6,711,594 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Oshima, Naoyuki, Yano, Yoshihiro, Handa, Fukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M
• Application Number:
  US09/913,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/202, 707/205, 707/204, 360/69, 709/102, 709/219, 711/6, 711/111, 711/161, 711/162
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• 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 2209/08 Randomization, e.g. dummy operations or using noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A distributed data archive device (1) is placed on an arbitrary location on a network (3) so that data can be saved and extracted. During data saving, a to-be-saved data file (F1) is given to the archive device (1), and a division/encryption means (13) carries out division/encryption, and individual divided files are distributed and saved onto data servers (2a, 2b, 2c) by a network communication means (16). A data management means (15) forms management data that shows a division/encryption method and a depository-destination data server, and records it onto a portable recording medium (10) during the data saving. During data extraction, the portable recording medium (10) is connected to an arbitrary archive device (1), and the management data is read. Based on this management data, the divided files are extracted from the depository destinations, and are reconstituted into the original data file (F1) by a decryption/integration means (14).

Claims

1. A distributed data archive device (1) having a function for distributing and saving to-be-saved data (F1) onto a plurality of data servers (2a, 2b, 2c) accessible through a network (3) and a function for extracting saved data therefrom when necessary, said device (1) comprising:

division means (13) for dividing the to-be-saved data (F1) into a plurality of divided files (F11, F12, and F13) according to a predetermined division method when the data is saved;

integration means (14) for integrating and reconstituting the plurality of divided files into the original to-be-saved data in consideration of the division method when the data is extracted;

network communication means (16) for performing processing for transferring and saving the plurality of divided files onto predetermined data servers, respectively, through the network when the data is saved; and

for performing processing for extracting the plurality of divided files saved on the individual data servers through the network when the data is extracted; and

data management means (15) for forming management data that comprises data-saving procedure information that shows a procedure followed when the data is saved that includes information showing a division method employed by said division means when the data is saved and data depository information that specifies a data server used as a depository destination of the plurality of divided files that have been transferred by said network communication means, and thereafter performing processing for recording the management data onto a predetermined location, and thereafter reading the management data when the data is extracted, and thereafter performing processing for giving the data-saving procedure information included in the management data to said integration means and for giving the data depository information included in the management data to said network communication means.

2. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading/writing means (11) for reading/writing data from/onto a portable recording medium (10), wherein the data management means (15) performs processing for recording the management data onto the portable recording medium through said reading/writing means.

3. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 2, further comprising verification means (12) for checking an authenticity of a user, wherein data saving processing or data extraction processing is performed only when a correct authentication result is obtained.

4. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the division means functions as division/encryption means (13) for applying encryption processing to data in a process of performing processing for dividing the to-be-saved data;

the data management means (15) functions to form data-saving procedure information that includes information showing a method of the encryption processing and record said data-saving procedure information as management data; and

the integration means functions as decryption/integration means (14) for applying decryption processing to an encrypted part on the basis of information showing the method of the encryption processing included in the data-saving procedure information when divided files are integrated and reconstituted into the original to-be-saved data.

5. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading/writing means (11) for reading/writing data from/onto a portable recording medium (10) in which access information needed to access the management data recorded on a predetermined location is stored, and the data management means (15) reads the access information of the portable recording medium through said reading/writing means and accesses the management data on the basis of this access information.

6. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 5, further comprising verification means (12) for checking an authenticity of a user, wherein data saving processing or data extraction processing is performed only when a correct authentication result is obtained.

7. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the division means functions as division/encryption means (13) for applying encryption processing to data in a process of performing processing for dividing the to-be-saved data;

the data management means (15) functions to form data-saving procedure information that includes information showing a method of the encryption processing and record said data-saving procedure information as management data; and

the integration means functions as decryption/integration means (14) for applying decryption processing to an encrypted part on the basis of information showing the method of the encryption processing included in the data-saving procedure information when divided files are integrated and reconstituted into the original to-be-saved data.

8. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, further comprising verification means (12) for checking an authenticity of a user, wherein data saving processing or data extraction processing is performed only when a correct authentication result is obtained.

9. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the division means functions as division/encryption means (13) for applying encryption processing to data in a process of performing processing for dividing the to-be-saved data;

the data management means (15) functions to form data-saving procedure information that includes information showing a method of the encryption processing and record said data-saving procedure information as management data; and

the integration means functions as decryption/integration means (14) for applying decryption processing to an encrypted part on the basis of information showing the method of the encryption processing included in the data-saving procedure information when divided files are integrated and reconstituted into the original to-be-saved data.

10. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 9, wherein the data management means (15) uses information which showing an execution order about division processing and encryption processing as a part of information showing the method of the encryption processing.

11. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the division means (13) performs processing for adding dummy data independent of the to-be-saved data in a process for dividing the to-be-saved data;

the data management means (15) functions to form data-saving procedure information that includes information about dummy data addition processing and record the data-saving procedure information as management data; and

the integration means (14) performs processing for removing the dummy data that has been added, on the basis of the information about dummy data addition processing included in the data-saving procedure information when divided files are integrated and reconstituted into the original to-be-saved data.

12. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the division means (13) performs redundancy storage processing to add redundancy to the to-be-saved data during a process for dividing the to-be-saved data to form a plurality of divided files;

the data management means (15) functions to form data-saving procedure information that includes information about the redundancy storage processing and record the data-saving procedure information as management data; and

the integration means (14) performs processing for reconstituting the original to-be-saved data in consideration of the information about the redundancy storage processing included in the data-saving procedure information.

13. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, said archive device further functioning:

during data saving procedure, to add period limitation information that shows limitation about a period to the to-be-saved data, and thereafter distribute and save said data onto data servers; and

during data extracting procedure, to perform extraction processing in consideration of limitation based on the period limitation information.

14. The distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1, said archive device further functioning:

during data saving procedure, to add alternative destination information, that shows a alternative destination different from an original depository destination, to individual divided files which are distributed and saved onto data servers, and to record the alternative destination information as a part of the management data; and

during data extracting procedure, to extract a desired divided file from a data server used as the alternative destination shown by the alternative destination information if the desired divided file cannot be extracted from a data server used as the original depository destination.

15. A distributed data archive system comprising:

a distributed data archive device (1) as recited in claim 1;

a network (3) to which said distributed data archive device is connected;

a plurality of data servers (2a, 2b, 2c) for receiving access from said distributed data archive device through said network (3); and

a portable recording medium (10) used as a record location of “

management data formed in said distributed data archive device”

or “

information needed to access said management data”

.

16. The distributed data archive system as recited in claim 15, wherein a terminal device connected to the network is designed to perform both a function as the distributed data archive device (1) and a function as the data servers (2a, 2b, 2c), and can select one of the two functions in accordance with a use.

17. The distributed data archive system as recited in claim 15, wherein an IC card is used as the portable recording medium (10), and an authenticity of the portable recording medium itself is checked when the distributed data archive device (1) accesses the portable recording medium.

18. The distributed data archive system as recited in claim 15, wherein information needed to access a same management data is stored on a plurality of portable recording mediums (10).

19. The distributed data archive system as recited in claim 15, wherein the distributed data archive device (1) can function to add alternative destination information that shows a alternative destination different from an original depository destination to an individual divided file distributed and saved onto an original data server (2a, 2b, 2c) when the data is saved, and can function to perform processing for allowing the divided file being saved to take alternative to another data server used as the alternative destination shown by the alternative destination information if said original data server (2a, 2b, 2c) has met difficulty in continuing saving the divided file.

20. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program to realize the distributed data archive device as recited in claim 1 is recorded.