On-demand peer-to-peer storage virtualization infrastructure
First Claim
1. A computer system for providing on-demand distributed storage in a peer-to-peer network, the computer system comprising:
- one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to communicate and share data of a first computer of a plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network with one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to allocate an available storage unit on the first computer into a first storage unit and a second storage unit, wherein the first computer has an operating system;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to format the second storage unit so that the second storage unit is not visible to the operating system of the first computer;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transmit, from the first computer to one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network, an availability time that a first space is available in the second storage unit; and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, responsive to the availability time elapsing, to clear the first space of stored data, wherein the stored data was entered into the first space by a direct communication over the peer-to-peer network from a second computer of the plurality of computers to the first computer.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An on-demand virtual drive from dedicated storage on a plurality of partners in a peer-to-peer network uses an agent installed on each of the partners. The agent has a contributing program and a requesting program. The contributing program creates a first storage unit and a second storage unit, formatting the second storage unit so that it is not visible to the operating system of the partner and transmitting the size of the second storage unit to the other partners. The requesting partner creates a virtual drive using space on selected partner'"'"'s second drives, and directs data blocks in and out of the virtual drive. A rules engine incorporating RAID algorithms governs the selection of the partners and allocation of available space.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer system for providing on-demand distributed storage in a peer-to-peer network, the computer system comprising:
-
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to communicate and share data of a first computer of a plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network with one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to allocate an available storage unit on the first computer into a first storage unit and a second storage unit, wherein the first computer has an operating system; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to format the second storage unit so that the second storage unit is not visible to the operating system of the first computer; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transmit, from the first computer to one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network, an availability time that a first space is available in the second storage unit; and program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, responsive to the availability time elapsing, to clear the first space of stored data, wherein the stored data was entered into the first space by a direct communication over the peer-to-peer network from a second computer of the plurality of computers to the first computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for providing on-demand storage in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising;
-
a computer of a plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network communicating and sharing data with one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network; the computer allocating an available storage unit on the computer into a first storage unit and a second storage unit, wherein the computer has an operating system; the computer formatting the second storage unit so that second storage unit is not visible to the operating system; the computer transmitting to one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network an availability time that a first space is available in the second storage unit; and the computer, responsive to the availability time elapsing, clearing the first space of stored data, wherein the stored data was entered into the first space by a direct communication over the peer-to-peer network from a second computer of the plurality of computers to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A computer program product for providing on-demand distributed storage in a peer-to-peer network, the computer program product comprising:
-
one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to communicate and share data of a first computer of a plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network with one or more other computers of the plurality of computers in the peer-to-peer network; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to allocate a first available storage unit on the first computer into a first storage unit and a second storage unit, wherein the first computer has an operating system; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to format the second storage unit so that second storage unit is not visible to the operating system of the first computer; program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to specify an availability time that a first space is available in the second storage unit; and program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, responsive to the availability time elapsing, to clear the first space of stored data, wherein the stored data was entered into the first space by a direct communication over the peer-to-peer network from a second computer of the plurality of computers to the first computer. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification