Configuring a generic computing device utilizing specific computing device operation information

• US 8,868,695 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Grube, Gary W., Markison, Timothy W., Dhuse, Greg, Resch, Jason K., Volvovski, Ilya, Leggette, Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance L
• Application Number:
  US13/372,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• 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

A method begins with the specific computing device token sending a distributed storage network (DSN) access request to DSN memory via the generic computing device. The DSN access request identifies specific computing device operation information that is stored as one or more of-sets of encoded data slices in the DSN memory. The method continues with the specific computing device token receiving the one or more of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device and decoding the one or more of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve the specific computing device operation information. The method continues with enabling the generic computing device to function as a specific computing device in accordance with the specific computing device operation information.

Claims

1. A method for execution when a generic computing device is paired with a specific computing device token, the method comprises:

establishing the pairing between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token by;

detecting a coupling of the specific computing device token to the generic computing device;

obtaining, by the generic computing device, user activation information;

authenticating, by the specific computing device token, the user activation information; and

when the user activation information is authenticated, establishing the pairing;

sending, by the specific computing device token, a distributed storage network (DSN) access request to DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the DSN access request identifies specific computing device operation information that is stored as one or more of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN memory and wherein the specific computing device operation information was encoded using a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce the one or more of sets of encoded data slices;

receiving, by the specific computing device token, the one or more of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device;

decoding, by the specific computing device token, the one or more of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve the specific computing device operation information; and

enabling the generic computing device to function as a specific computing device in accordance with the specific computing device operation information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific computing device operation information comprises one or more of:

operating system information;

software application information;

file information;

a machine state indicator;

a machine pointer value;

a machine register value;

a machine stack value set;

a next machine instruction ID;

a data register data;

a signature;

a key;

virtual memory configuration information; and

computing device hardware configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling the generic computing device comprises one or more of:

retrieving, by the specific computing device token, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of data and wherein the data includes one or more of;

at least a portion of a user application;

at least a portion of a system level application;

at least a portion of a file; and

at least a portion of a file directory;

decoding, by the specific computing device token, the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recapture the data; and

processing, by the generic computing device as the specific computing device, the data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling the generic computing device further comprises one or more of:

providing, by the specific computing device token, an indication of an application to be executed by the generic computing device;

retrieving, by the specific computing device token, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of at least a portion of a file;

decoding, by the specific computing device token, the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recapture data of the at least a portion of the file; and

configuring, by the specific computing device token, the generic computing device to function as the specific computing device, which executes the indicated application on the data.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

detecting an end of session between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token;

when the end of session is detected;

capturing, by the generic computing device, a subsequent configuration of the generic computing device functioning as the specific computing device to produce subsequent configuration information;

encoding, by the specific computing device token, the subsequent configuration information using the dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded configuration slices;

sending, by the specific computing device token via the generic computing device, the one or more sets of encoded configuration slices to the DSN memory for storage therein; and

securing, by the generic computing device, main memory of the generic computing module regarding the functioning as the specific computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the subsequent configuration information comprises at least one of:

an active software application identifier (ID);

a current machine state indicator;

a current machine pointer value;

a current machine register value;

a next machine instruction ID;

a current data register data;

a signature;

a key;

virtual memory configuration information; and

computing device hardware configuration information.

7. A specific computing device token comprises:

an interface module for interfacing with a generic computing device;

memory; and

a processing module operably coupled to the memory and operable to, when the specific computing device token is paired with the generic computing device;

establish the pairing between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token by;

detecting a coupling of the specific computing device token to the generic computing device;

receiving user activation information from the generic computing device;

authenticating the user activation information; and

when the user activation information is authenticated, establishing the pairing;

send a distributed storage network (DSN) access request to DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the DSN access request identifies specific computing device operation information that is stored as one or more of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN memory and wherein the specific computing device operation information was encoded using a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce the one or more of sets of encoded data slices;

receive the one or more of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device;

decode the one or more of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve the specific computing device operation information; and

enable the generic computing device to function as a specific computing device in accordance with the specific computing device operation information.

8. The specific computing device token of claim 7, wherein the interface module comprises at least one of:

a universal serial bus (USB) interface module;

a Bluetooth interface module;

a fire-wire interface module;

a 60 GHz wireless transceiver; and

a wi-fi interface module.

9. The specific computing device token of claim 7, wherein the specific computing device operation information comprises one or more of:

operating system information;

software application information;

file information;

a machine state indicator;

a machine pointer value;

a machine register value;

a machine stack value set;

a next machine instruction ID;

a data register data;

a signature;

a key;

virtual memory configuration information; and

computing device hardware configuration information.

10. The specific computing device token of claim 7, wherein the processing module functions to enable the generic computing device by one or more of:

retrieving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of data and wherein the data includes one or more of;

at least a portion of a user application;

at least a portion of a system level application;

at least a portion of a file; and

at least a portion of a file directory;

decoding the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recapture the data; and

sending the data to the generic computing device to facilitate processing, by the generic computing device as the specific computing device, the data.

11. The specific computing device token of claim 7, wherein the processing module functions to enable the generic computing device by one or more of:

providing an indication of an application to be executed by the generic computing device;

retrieving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of at least a portion of a file;

decoding the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recapture data of the at least a portion of the file; and

configuring the generic computing device to function as the specific computing device, which executes the indicated application on the data.

12. The specific computing device token of claim 7, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

detect an end of session between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token;

when the end of session is detected;

receive a subsequent configuration of the generic computing device functioning as the specific computing device to produce subsequent configuration information;

encode the subsequent configuration information using the dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded configuration slices;

send the one or more sets of encoded configuration slices to the DSN memory for storage therein.

13. The specific computing device token of claim 12, wherein the subsequent configuration information comprises at least one of:

an active software application identifier (ID);

a current machine state indicator;

a current machine pointer value;

a current machine register value;

a next machine instruction ID;

a current data register data;

a signature;

a key;

virtual memory configuration information; and

computing device hardware configuration information.

14. A module for enabling a generic computing device to function as a specific computing device when the generic computing device is paired with a specific computing device token, the module comprises:

a first module operable to;

establish the pairing between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token by;

detecting a coupling of the specific computing device token to the generic computing device;

receiving user activation information from the generic computing device;

authenticating the user activation information; and

when the user activation information is authenticated, establishing the pairing; and

receive a distributed storage network (DSN) access request to a DSN memory from the specific computing device token, wherein the DSN access request identifies specific computing device operation information that is stored as one or more of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN memory and wherein the specific computing device operation information was encoded using a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

a second module operable to;

send the DSN access request to the DSN memory; and

receive the one or more sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

the first module is further operable to;

send the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the specific computing device token; and

receive the specific computing device operation information from the specific computing device token;

a third module operable to enable the generic computing device to function as a specific computing device in accordance with the specific computing device operation information.

15. The module of claim 14, wherein the third module functions to enable the generic computing device by one or more of:

retrieving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory via the generic computing device, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of data and wherein the data includes one or more of;

at least a portion of a user application;

at least a portion of a system level application;

at least a portion of a file; and

at least a portion of a file directory;

sending the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the specific computing device token for decoding to recapture the data;

receiving the data from the specific computing device token; and

processing, as the specific computing device, the data.

16. The module of claim 14, wherein the third module further functions to enable the generic computing device by one or more of:

receiving an indication of an application to be executed from the specific computing device token;

retrieving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory, wherein the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is a dispersed storage error encoded representation of at least a portion of a file;

sending the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the specific computing device token for decoding recapture data of the at least a portion of the file;

receiving the data from the specific computing device token; and

configuring the generic computing device to function as the specific computing device, which executes the indicated application on the data.

17. The module of claim 14 further comprises:

a seventh module operable to detect an end of session between the generic computing device and the specific computing device token;

when the end of session is detected;

an eight module operable to capture a subsequent configuration of the generic computing device functioning as the specific computing device to produce subsequent configuration information;

the first module is further operable to;

send the subsequent configuration information to the specific computing device token for encoding using the dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded configuration slices; and

receive the one or more sets of encoded configuration slices from the specific computing device token;

the second module is further operable to send the one or more sets of encoded configuration slices to the DSN memory for storage therein; and

a ninth module operable to secure main memory of the generic computing module regarding the functioning as the specific computing device.