Recommendation schema for storing data in a shared data storage network

• US 9,882,906 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bianchi, Silvia C. S., Candello, Heloisa C. S. P., Cunha, Renato L. F., Pinhanez, Claudio S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getachew, Abiy
• Application Number:
  US14/568,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1057 involving pre-assessment of levels of reputation of peers
• 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 shared data storage network, such as a peer-to-peer network, is managed according to individual member trust level. Members of the storage network make their local storage available to other members of the network. Members receive a storage-location recommendation based on (i) the type of data to be stored, and (ii) an individual trust level assigned to members providing storage resources in the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a file trust level associated with a file to be stored by a first user on a local storage device of a second user;

identifying a set of storage devices within a networked computers system including a plurality of computer systems and the local storage device of the second user, the set of storage devices being local storage devices on corresponding computer systems of the plurality of computer systems;

assigning a storage trust level to the local storage device based on a set of social link interaction information as an indicator of trustworthiness of a computer system to which the storage device corresponds, the storage trust level being a threshold trust level for storing data on the storage device; and

determining a subset of qualifying storage devices within the set of storage devices, a qualifying storage device having a storage trust level that matches the file trust level;

wherein;

the set of social link interaction information corresponds to a relationship between the first user and the second user;

the storage trust level is one of a set of storage trust levels including a lower level and an upper level, the upper level indicating more trustworthiness than the lower level; and

at least the identifying and determining steps are performed by computer software running on computer hardware.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the networked computers system is a peer-to-peer network; and

the first user and the second user are members of the peer-to-peer network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the file trust level is an initial trust level input by an owner of the file.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a user interface that provides for user-input to assign a storage trust level to a storage device residing on a specified computer system within the networked computers system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

assigning a storage trust level to the local storage device is further based on a trust level factor associated with a set of enterprise information of the second user, an enterprise information being a project in which the second user participates;

wherein;

the file relates to the project; and

the storage trust level increases for the storage device with respect to other storage devices in the set of storage device that do not include the enterprise information.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising:

fifth program instructions programmed to retrieve technical support data for the plurality of computer systems including reported hardware incidents;

wherein;

assigning the storage trust level to each storage device is further based on the technical support data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the file on the qualifying storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving technical support data for the plurality of computer systems including reported hardware incidents;

wherein;

assigning the storage trust level to each storage device is further based on the technical support data.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:

first program instructions programmed to determine a file trust level associated with a file to be stored by a first user on a local storage device of a second user;

second program instructions programmed to identify a set of storage devices within a networked computer system including a plurality of computer systems and the local storage device of the second user, the set of storage devices being local storage devices on corresponding computer systems of the plurality of computer systems;

third program instructions programmed to assign a storage trust level to the local storage device based on a set of social link interaction information as an indicator of trustworthiness of a computer system to which the storage device corresponds, the storage trust level being a threshold trust level for storing data on the storage device; and

fourth program instructions programmed to determine a subset of qualifying storage devices within the set of storage devices, a qualifying storage device having a storage trust level that matches the file trust level;

wherein;

the set of social link interaction information corresponds to a relationship between the first user and the second user;

the storage trust level is one of a set of storage trust levels including a lower level and an upper level, the upper level indicating more trustworthiness than the lower level.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein:

the networked computers system is a peer-to-peer network; and

the first user and the second user are members of the peer-to-peer network.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the file trust level is an initial trust level input by an owner of the file.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

fifth program instructions programmed to generate a user interface that provides for user-input to assign a storage trust level to a storage device residing on a specified computer system within the networked computers system.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

fifth program instructions programmed to retrieve technical support data for the plurality of computer systems including reported hardware incidents;

wherein;

assigning the storage trust level to each storage device is further based on the technical support data.

14. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

fifth program instructions programmed to store the file on the qualifying storage device.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein:

assigning a storage trust level to the local storage device is further based on a trust level factor associated with a set of enterprise information of the second user.

16. A computer system comprising:

a processor(s) set; and

a computer readable storage medium;

wherein;

the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and

the program instructions include;

first program instructions programmed to determine a file trust level associated with a file to be stored by a first user on a local storage device of a second user;

second program instructions programmed to identify a set of storage devices within a networked computer system including a plurality of computer systems and the local storage device of the second user, the set of storage devices being local storage devices on corresponding computer systems of the plurality of computer systems;

third program instructions programmed to assign a storage trust level to the local storage device of the set of storage devices based on a set of social link interaction information as an indicator of trustworthiness of a computer system to which the storage device corresponds, the storage trust level being a threshold trust level for storing data on the storage device; and

fourth program instructions programmed to determine a subset of qualifying storage devices within the set of storage devices, a qualifying storage device having a storage trust level that matches the file trust level;

wherein;

the set of social link interaction information corresponds to a relationship between the first user and the second user;

the storage trust level is one of a set of storage trust levels including a lower level and an upper level, the upper level indicating more trustworthiness than the lower level.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein:

the networked computers system is a peer-to-peer network; and

the first user and the second user are members of the peer-to-peer network.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the file trust level is an initial trust level input by an owner of the file.

19. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising:

fifth program instructions programmed to generate a user interface that provides for user-input to assign a storage trust level to a storage device residing on a specified computer system within the networked computers system.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein:

assigning a storage trust level to the local storage device is further based on a trust level factor associated with a set of enterprise information of the second user.