Management of network devices within a dispersed data storage network

• US 9,537,951 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cilfone, Bart, Kumar, Sanjaya, Hoffman, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/467,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1042 using topology management mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1061 using node-based peer discovery mechanisms static access to replicated servers H04L67/1006; service discovery H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A method of managing devices in a dispersed data storage network is disclosed. A device list is maintained including entries for every device in the dispersed data storage network. Each entry lists a public key, a network address, and hardware identifier for the corresponding device. On startup each device sends a request to join the network. The request includes the device'"'"'s public key, network address, and hardware identifier. The request is compared with the device list, and, based on the comparison, and, in some cases, administrator action, the request is granted or denied.

Claims

1. A method of managing devices in a dispersed data storage network, the method comprises:

receiving a device approval request from a slice server, wherein the slice server is one of a set of slice servers that stores data slices of an encoded data segment, wherein “

m”

of “

n”

of the stored data slices are needed to reconstruct a data segment;

determining whether the device approval request is to add the slice server to a dispersed data storage network (DDSN);

when the device approval request is to add the slice server to the DDSN;

initiating an approval process regarding the slice server; and

subsequent to when the slice server is approved;

updating a device list to include the slice server;

determining that the device approval request includes an update of hardware characteristics of the slice server including storage capacity of the slice server, wherein the storage capacity includes one or more of;

a number of hard drives, an amount of total storage, or an amount of memory;

updating a device list to include the hardware characteristics;

receiving, by the set of slice servers, a read request for the encoded data segment; and

sending, by the slice server in response to the read request, a read response that includes one of the n stored data slices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device approval request comprises:

a public key, a network address, and a hardware identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the device approval request is to add the slice server comprises:

determining that there are no matches of a network address of the device approval request in the device list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the device approval request is to add the slice server comprises:

determining that there are no matches of a hardware identifier of the device approval request in the device list.

5. A managing device of a data dispersed storage network comprises:

a network port operable to receive a device approval request via a network from a slice server, wherein the slice server is one of a set of slice servers that stores data slices of an encoded data segment, wherein “

m”

of “

n”

of the stored data slices are needed to reconstruct a data segment;

memory for storing a device list; and

a processor operable to;

determine whether the device approval request is to add the slice server to a dispersed data storage network (DDSN);

when the device approval request is to add the slice server to the DDSN;

initiate an approval process regarding the slice server;

subsequent to when the slice server is approved;

update the device list to include the slice server;

determine that the device approval request includes an update of hardware characteristics of the slice server including storage capacity of the slice server, wherein the storage capacity includes one or more of;

a number of hard drives, an amount of total storage, or an amount of memory;

update a device list to include the hardware characteristics;

receive, by the set of slice servers, a read request for the encoded data segment; and

send, by the slice server in response to the read request, a read response that includes one of the n stored data slices.

6. The managing device of claim 5, wherein the device approval request comprises:

a public key, a network address, and a hardware identifier.

7. The managing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further operable to determine whether device approval request is to add the slice server by:

determining that there are no matches of a network address of the device approval request in the device list.

8. The managing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further operable to determine whether the device approval request is to add the slice server by:

determining that there are no matches of a hardware identifier of the device approval request in the device list.

9. A storage device comprises:

a first section storing a software routine that, when executing by a computer, causes the computer to determine whether a device approval request is to add a slice server to a dispersed data storage network (DDSN), wherein the slice server is one of a set of slice servers that stores data slices of an encoded data segment, wherein “

m”

of “

n”

of the stored data slices are needed to reconstruct a data segment;

a second section storing a software routine that, when executing by the computer, causes the computer to, when the device approval request is to add the slice server to the DDSN, initiate an approval process regarding the slice server; and

subsequent to when the slice server is approved, update a device list to include the slice server;

a third section storing a software routine that, when executing by the computer, causes the computer to determine that the device approval request includes an update of hardware characteristics of the slice server including storage capacity of the slice server, wherein the storage capacity includes one or more of;

a number of hard drives, an amount of total storage, or an amount of memory;

a fourth section storing a software routine that, when executing by the computer, causes the computer to update a device list to include the hardware characteristics;

a fifth section storing a software routine that, when executing by the computer, causes the computer to receive, by the set of slice servers, a read request for the encoded data segment; and

a sixth section storing a software routine that, when executing by the computer, causes the computer to send, by the slice server in response to the read request, a read response that includes one of the n stored data slices.

10. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the device approval request comprises:

a public key, a network address, and a hardware identifier.

11. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the first section further causes the computer to determine that the device approval request is to add the slice server by:

determining that there are no matches of a network address of the device approval request in the device list.

12. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the first section further causes the computer to determine whether the device approval request is to add the slice server by:

determining that there are no matches of a hardware identifier of the device approval request in the device list.