Data forwarding storage

• US 7,844,695 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Post Dahl Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Merritt, Edward, Fein, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US12/240,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 709/212, 709/216, 709/233, 709/224, 709/229, 709/223, 709/249, 709/236, 370/351, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for data forwarding storage. A network includes a group of interconnected computer system nodes each adapted to receive data and continuously forward the data from computer memory to computer memory without storing on any physical storage device in response to a request to store data from a requesting system and retrieve data being continuously forwarded from computer memory to computer memory in response to a request to retrieve data from the requesting system.

Claims

1. A computerized method of storing a file in a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving a request for storage of a data file from a source system, wherein the source system is not part of the network of computing devices;

receiving the data file;

directing the data file to a computer memory of a computing device of the network of computing devices, wherein each of the computing devices comprises a computer memory including one or more of a read only memory or a random access memory; and

periodically selecting a computing device of the network of computing devices that is not the computing device that currently stores the data file and transmitting the data file from the computer memory of the computing device that currently stores the data file to the computer memory of the selected computing device without storing the data file on any physical storage device of the computing devices in the network, wherein physical storage devices include hard disks, magnetic disks, magneto optical disks, and optical disks.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data file is encrypted.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data file is encrypted prior to each transmitting of the data file to a selected computing device, wherein only the selected computing device of the network of computing devices is configured to decrypt the encrypted data file.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the periodically selecting comprises:

pinging one or more of the computing devices in the network of computing devices; and

in response to receiving a response from a particular computing device, selecting the particular computing device for receiving the data file.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the periodically selecting is based on one or more of network traffic between at least some of the computing devices and an available memory of at least some of the computing devices.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling a new computing device to the network of computing devices so that the new computing device is periodically selected for storage of the data file in a computer memory of the new computing device.

7. A computing device for coordinating transfer of a data file between memories of a plurality of computing devices in communication via at least one network, the computing device comprising:

a network interface providing a communication link with the at least one network that is in communication with the plurality of computing devices and with a source computing device;

at least one processor configured to cause the computing device to;

receive a request from the source computing device to store a data file;

select a computing device of the plurality of computing devices to store the data file in a computer memory of the selected computing device;

initiate transmission of the data file to the selected computing device, wherein the data file is stored on the computer memory of the selected computing device and not on a physical storage device of the selected computing device; and

periodically repeat the selecting and initiating so that the data file is periodically transmitted between computer memories of the computing devices without being stored on a physical storage device of the plurality of computing devices.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the source computing device is not coupled to the at least one network.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the data file is received from the source computing device via a second network.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the selecting and initiating is repeated after each expiration of a predetermined time period.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein in response to receiving a request for the data file from a requesting computing device, the processor initiates transmission of the data file from the computing device of the network that then stores the data file to the requesting computing device.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the requesting computing device comprises the source computing device.

13. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an indication of one or more users that are authorized to receive the data file, wherein the requesting computing device is operated by one of the authorized users.

14. The computing device of claim 7, wherein physical storage devices include hard disks, magnetic disks, magneto optical disks, and optical disks.

15. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the computer memories of the computing devices each comprise one or more of a read only memory and a random access memory.

16. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive an indication that a new computing device has been coupled to the network of computing devices and, in response to receiving the indication, to select the new computing device for storage of the data file in a computer memory of the new computing device.

17. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program that, if executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a data storage method that comprises:

receiving a request from a source computing device to store a data file;

selecting a computing device of a plurality of computing devices in communication via one or more networks to store the data file in a computer memory of the selected computing device;

initiating transmission of the data file to the selected computing device, wherein the data file is stored on the computer memory of the selected computing device and not on a physical storage device of the selected computing device; and

periodically repeating the selecting and initiating so that the data file is periodically transmitted between computer memories of the computing devices without being stored on a physical storage device of the plurality of computing devices.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the selecting of a computing device is at least partly based on a network traffic analysis and available memory of at least some of the computing devices.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

encrypting the data file prior to transmitting of the data file to the selected computing device so that only the selected computing device is configured to decrypt the encrypted data file.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein physical storage devices include hard disks, magnetic disks, magneto optical disks, and optical disks.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer memories of the computing devices each comprise one or more of a read only memory and a random access memory.