Adaptive dispersed storage network (DSN) and system

• US 9,672,109 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abhijeet, Kumar, Dhuse, Greg R., Gladwin, S. Christopher, Grube, Gary W., Markison, Timothy W., Resch, Jason K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US15/250,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20160364295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 713193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1752 based on file chunks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0641 De-duplication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/1515 Reed-Solomon codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/616 Matrix operations, especially for generator matrices or check matrices, e.g. column or row permutations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 : Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory such that the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations. When additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of encoded data slices (EDSs) supported by EDSs may be needed, the computing device dispersed error encodes each data segment in accordance to generate additional pluralities of EDSs and distributedly stores the additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object across the plurality of SUs within the DSN to support the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN);

memory that stores operational instructions; and

a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to;

determine whether a number of pluralities of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of encoded data slices (EDSs) supported by pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with a data object compares favorably with a threshold number, wherein the pluralities of EDSs are distributedly stored across a plurality of storage units (SUs) within the DSN, wherein the data object is segmented into a plurality of data segments, wherein a data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of EDSs, wherein the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment, and wherein a write threshold number of EDSs provides for a successful transfer of the set of EDSs from a first at least one storage location in the DSN to a second at least one storage location in the DSN;

when the number of pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the plurality of data segments of the data object compares unfavorably with a unique pillar combination number;

dispersed error encode each data segment of the plurality of data segments in accordance with second dispersed error encoding parameters to generate additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object, wherein the additional pluralities of EDSs support additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs; and

distributedly store the additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object across the plurality of SUs within the DSN to support the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs also provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width, and another read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is further configured to:

assign a first unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a first other computing device or a first user associated with the first other computing device;

assign a second unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a second other computing device or a second user associated with the first other computing device;

assign a first unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs to a third other computing device or a third user associated with the third other computing device; and

assign a second unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs to a fourth other computing device or a third user associated with the fourth other computing device.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is further configured to:

provide, via the DSN, a first unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a first other computing device or a first user associated with the first other computing device;

provide, via the DSN, a second unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a second other computing device or a second user associated with the first other computing device;

provide, via the DSN, a first unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs to a third other computing device or a third user associated with the third other computing device; and

provide, via the DSN, a second unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs to a fourth other computing device or a third user associated with the fourth other computing device.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is located at a first premises that is remotely located from at least one SU of the plurality of SUs within the DSN.

8. The computing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a SU of the plurality of SUs within the DSN.

9. The computing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, a personal computers (PC), a work station, or a video game device.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the DSN includes at least one of a wireless communication system, a wire lined communication systems, a non-public intranet system, a public internet system, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).

11. A method for execution by a computing device, the method comprising:

determining whether a number of pluralities of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of encoded data slices (EDSs) supported by pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with a data object compares favorably with a threshold number, wherein the pluralities of EDSs are distributedly stored across a plurality of storage units (SUs) within a dispersed storage network (DSN), wherein the data object is segmented into a plurality of data segments, wherein a data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of EDSs, wherein the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment, and wherein a write threshold number of EDSs provides for a successful transfer of the set of EDSs from a first at least one storage location in the DSN to a second at least one storage location in the DSN;

when the number of pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object compares unfavorably with a unique pillar combination number;

dispersed error encoding each data segment of the plurality of data segments in accordance with second dispersed error encoding parameters to generate additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object, wherein the additional pluralities of EDSs support additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs; and

distributedly storing the additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object across the plurality of SUs within the DSN to support the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs also provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of EDSs that is of a first pillar width, and the read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the first dispersed error encoding parameters; and

the data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters to produce another set of EDSs that is of a second pillar width that is greater than the first pillar width, and another read threshold number of EDSs provides for reconstruction of the data segment in accordance with the second dispersed error encoding parameters.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

assigning a first unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a first other computing device or a first user associated with the first other computing device;

assigning a second unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a second other computing device or a second user associated with the first other computing device;

assigning a first unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs to a third other computing device or a third user associated with the third other computing device; and

assigning a second unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs to a fourth other computing device or a third user associated with the fourth other computing device.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing, via the DSN, a first unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a first other computing device or a first user associated with the first other computing device;

providing, via the DSN, a second unique pillar combination of the pluralities of unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs supported by the pluralities of EDSs to a second other computing device or a second user associated with the first other computing device;

providing, via the DSN, a first unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs to a third other computing device or a third user associated with the third other computing device; and

providing, via the DSN, a second unique pillar combination of the additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs to a fourth other computing device or a third user associated with the fourth other computing device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing device is located at a first premises that is remotely located from at least one SU of the plurality of SUs within the DSN.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing device includes a SU of the plurality of SUs within the DSN.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing device includes a wireless smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, a personal computers (PC), a work station, or a video game device.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the DSN includes at least one of a wireless communication system, a wire lined communication systems, a non-public intranet system, a public internet system, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).