Methods and systems for NAS device pairing and mirroring

• US 9,503,436 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Murphy, John, Wade, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schell, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/672,484
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1612 where the redundant component is persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2053 where persistent mass storage functionality or persistent mass storage control functionality is redundant error detection or correction in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/16 the keys or algorithms being changed during operation

Abstract

One embodiment is a system, comprising a first NAS device, a second NAS device. The first and second NAS devices may be configured to be paired with one another to enable an ongoing secure exchange of content (e.g., files, pictures, movies, audio recordings) and NAS settings (e.g., RAID settings, backup schedules, etc.) between the first and second NAS devices across a network. According to one embodiment, through this ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings, the second NAS device may become and may be thereafter maintained as a mirror of the first NAS device, such that the second NAS device may be maintained as a drop-in physical and functional replacement for the first NAS device in the event of a failure of the first NAS device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first network attached storage (NAS) device; and

a second NAS device,

the first and second NAS devices being paired with one another through an exchange of security keys and pairing information between the first and second NAS devices to enable an ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices across a network,

wherein, through the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings, the second NAS device becomes and is thereafter maintained as a mirror of the first NAS device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the security keys comprise matching security keys to enable the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the security keys and the pairing information are factory pre-configured such that the first and second NAS devices are factory pre-configured as a matched pair of NAS devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the security keys and the pairing information are generated by at least one of the first NAS device, the second NAS device and an external source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second NAS devices are configured to require an online registration process and wherein during the online registration process, the first and second NAS devices are configured to exchange security information to enable the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an online secure site and wherein the first and second NAS devices are configured to connect to the online secure site to securely exchange the content and NAS settings.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first NAS device, using the exchanged security keys, is configured to:

encrypt the content and NAS settings; and

send the encrypted content and NAS settings to the second NAS device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second NAS device, using the exchanged security keys, is configured to:

receive the encrypted content and NAS settings from the first NAS device; and

decrypt the received encrypted content and NAS settings.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a removable storage configured to couple to the first and second NAS devices in turn to provide each NAS device with matching security keys to enable the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second NAS devices is configured to generate and send a user message over the network reporting on a state of a mirroring between the first and second NAS devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first NAS device comprises a first disk drive and wherein the second NAS device comprises a second disk drive.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first NAS device comprises a first solid state storage device and wherein the second NAS device comprises a second solid state storage device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first NAS device comprises a first hybrid storage device comprising a first solid state storage device and a first disk drive and wherein the second NAS device comprises a second solid state storage device and a second disk drive.

14. A method, comprising:

storing first security keys and first pairing information in a first network attached storage (NAS) device and second security keys and second pairing information in a second NAS device;

pairing the first NAS device to the second NAS device using the first and second security keys and the first and second pairing information to enable an ongoing secure exchange of user content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices across a network;

storing the user content and NAS settings on the first NAS device;

encrypting, by the first NAS device, the user content and NAS settings;

repeatedly sending, by the first NAS device, the encrypted user content and NAS settings as the user content and NAS settings are created or changed; and

receiving, by the second NAS device, the encrypted user content and NAS settings, so as to effectuate the ongoing secure exchange of user content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices and to maintain the second NAS device as a mirror of the first NAS device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second security keys are matching security keys to enable the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein pairing comprises factory pre-configuring the first and second NAS devices as a matched pair of NAS devices.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

configuring the first and second NAS devices to require an online registration process, and

exchanging, during the online registration process, security information between the first and second NAS devices to enable the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the first and second NAS devices connecting to an online secure site to securely exchange the content and NAS settings.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one of the first and the second NAS device generating and sending a user message over the network reporting on a state of a mirroring between the first and second NAS devices.

20. A system, comprising:

a first network attached storage (NAS) device; and

a second NAS device,

the first NAS device and the second NAS device being factory pre-configured as an associated pair of NAS devices such that the first and second NAS devices are paired with one another to enable an ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices across a network,

wherein, through the ongoing secure exchange of content and NAS settings, the second NAS device becomes and is thereafter maintained as a mirror of the first NAS device.

21. A method, comprising:

factory pre-configuring a first network attached storage (NAS) device and a second NAS device as an associated pair of NAS devices to enable an ongoing secure exchange of user content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices across a network and configuring the first NAS device and the second NAS device to enable;

storing the user content and NAS settings on the first NAS device;

encrypting, by the first NAS device, the user content and NAS settings;

repeatedly sending, by the first NAS device, the encrypted user content and NAS settings as the user content and NAS settings are created or changed; and

receiving, by the second NAS device, the encrypted user content and NAS settings,

so as to effectuate the ongoing secure exchange of user content and NAS settings between the first and second NAS devices and to maintain the second NAS device as a mirror of the first NAS device.