Distributed storage network
First Claim
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1. A distributed storage network comprising a plurality of interconnected computers, said computers including a plurality of host computers, each having a store for data items, and at least one client computer, wherein said client computer stores client code comprising:
- a) storage initiation code executable to initiate storage of a data item in one or more of said plurality of host computers'"'"' stores;
b) storage condition generation code executable to generate one or more interpretable storage conditions which must be met by a candidate host computer store in order for said candidate host computer store to store said data item, said interpretable storage conditions indicating a required value of one or more time-varying storage characteristics;
c) storage condition sending code executable to send said one or more interpretable storage conditions to one or more of said plurality of host computers;
wherein each of said host computers stores host code including;
d) storage condition reception code executable to receive said one or more interpretable storage conditions from another of said plurality of host computers;
e) host computer store characteristic provision code executable to provide host storage characteristic data indicating the value of one or more time-varying characteristics of said host computer'"'"'s stores;
f) storage condition interpreter code executable to interpret said one or more interpretable storage conditions in the light of said host storage characteristic data provided by said host computer and thereby to establish whether said host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions;
g) data item storage code executable to store said data item in said host computer'"'"'s store on the execution of said condition interpreter code finding that said host computer meets said storage conditions; and
h) storage condition forwarding code executable, on the execution of said condition interpreter code finding that said host computer'"'"'s store does not meet said storage conditions, to forward said storage conditions to another of said plurality of host computers.
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Abstract
A determination as to whether to store a data item at a computer connected to a distributed storage network of computers is made in dependence on a policy document associated with that data item. The policy document is constructed in accordance with a Document Type Definition expressed in extensible Markup Language (XML). This provides a more flexible method of system managed storage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A distributed storage network comprising a plurality of interconnected computers, said computers including a plurality of host computers, each having a store for data items, and at least one client computer, wherein said client computer stores client code comprising:
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a) storage initiation code executable to initiate storage of a data item in one or more of said plurality of host computers'"'"' stores; b) storage condition generation code executable to generate one or more interpretable storage conditions which must be met by a candidate host computer store in order for said candidate host computer store to store said data item, said interpretable storage conditions indicating a required value of one or more time-varying storage characteristics; c) storage condition sending code executable to send said one or more interpretable storage conditions to one or more of said plurality of host computers; wherein each of said host computers stores host code including; d) storage condition reception code executable to receive said one or more interpretable storage conditions from another of said plurality of host computers; e) host computer store characteristic provision code executable to provide host storage characteristic data indicating the value of one or more time-varying characteristics of said host computer'"'"'s stores; f) storage condition interpreter code executable to interpret said one or more interpretable storage conditions in the light of said host storage characteristic data provided by said host computer and thereby to establish whether said host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; g) data item storage code executable to store said data item in said host computer'"'"'s store on the execution of said condition interpreter code finding that said host computer meets said storage conditions; and h) storage condition forwarding code executable, on the execution of said condition interpreter code finding that said host computer'"'"'s store does not meet said storage conditions, to forward said storage conditions to another of said plurality of host computers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16)
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12. A method of operating a network of interconnected computers, said interconnected computers including a plurality of host computers, each host computer having a store for data items, and a least one client computer, said method including:
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operating said client computer to; a) initiate storage of a data item in one or more of said host computer stores; and b) generate one or more interpretable storage conditions indicating a required value of one or more time-varyinq characteristics of host computer stores which must be met by a candidate host computer store in order for said candidate host computer store to store said data item; c) send said one or more interpretable storage conditions to one or more of said host computers; operating each of said plurality of host computers to; d) receive said one or more interpretable storage conditions from another of said plurality of host computers; e) provide host storage characteristic data indicating the value of one or more time-varying characteristics of said host computer'"'"'s store; f) interpret said one or more interpretable storage conditions in the light of said host storage characteristic data provided by said host computer store and thereby to establish whether said host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; g) store said data item in said host computer'"'"'s store on finding that said host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; and h) forward said storage conditions to another of said plurality of host computers on finding that said host computer'"'"'s store does not meet said storage conditions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 17)
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14. A host computer configured to be part of a distributed storage network comprising a plurality of interconnected computers including a plurality of host computers, said plurality of host computers including said specific host computer, each of said plurality of host computers having a store for data items, and at least one client computer storing client code including storage initiation code executable to initiate storage of a data item in one or more of said plurality of host computers'"'"' stores and storage condition generation code executable to generate one or more interpretable storage conditions indicating a required value of one or more time-varying characteristics which must be met by a candidate host computer store in order for said candidate host computer store to store said data item, said specific host computer storing host code including:
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a) storage condition reception code executable to receive said one or more interpretable storage conditions from another of said plurality of host computers; b) host computer storage characteristic provision code executable to provide host storage characteristic data indicating the value of one or more time-varying characteristics of said specific host computer'"'"'s store; c) storage condition interpreter code executable to interpret said one or more interpretable storage conditions in the light of said host storage characteristic data provided by said specific host computer and thereby to establish whether said specific host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; d) data item storage code executable to store said data item in said specific host computer'"'"'s store on the execution of said condition interpreter code finding that said specific host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; and e) storage condition forwarding code executable, on the execution of said storage condition interpreter code finding that said specific host computer'"'"'s store does not meet said storage conditions, to forward said storage conditions to another of said plurality of host computers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 20)
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15. A method of operating a specific host computer configured to be part of a distributed storage network comprising a plurality of interconnected computers including a plurality of host computers, each having a data store for data items, and at least one client computer storing client code including storage initiation code executable to initiate storage of a data item in one or more of said stores and storage condition generation code executable to generate one or more interpretable storage condition indicating a required value of time-varying characteristics of host computer'"'"'s stores suitable for storing said data item, said method comprising operating said specific host computer to:
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a) receive said one or more interpretable storage conditions from another of said plurality of host computers; b) provide host storage characteristic data indicating the value of one or more time-varying characteristics of said specific host computer'"'"'s stores; c) interpret said one or more interpretable storage conditions in the light of said host storage characteristic data provided by said host computer and thereby to establish whether said specific host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; d) store said data item in said specific host computer on said interpretation of said storage conditions finding that said specific host computer'"'"'s store meets said storage conditions; and e) forward said storage conditions to another of said plurality of host computers, on said interpretation of said storage conditions finding that said specific host computer'"'"'s store does not meet said storage conditions. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification