SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SECURE DISTRIBUTED STORAGE

• US 20110107103A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Vidal, Seth Kelby, Likins, Adrian Karstan, Dehaan, Michael Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for secure distributed storage. In aspects, a set of remote storage hosts, such as personal computers, servers, media devices, cell phones, or others, can subscribe or register to provide storage via a cloud-based or other distributed network. Source data from an originating computer, such as a data file, can be decomposed into data storage subunits, each of which is encrypted via a cloud management system or other logic or control. The data storage subunits can comprise data blocks or even or uneven size. The set of encrypted data storage subunits can be registered to a table or other record, and disseminated to the remote storage hosts. In the event of data loss at the originating computer or at other times, the remotely stored data storage subunits can be extracted, decrypted, and reassembled to reconstruct the original source data.

Claims

1. A method of generating a remote distributed image of a stored data object, comprising:

receiving the stored data object from a source;

decomposing the stored data object into a set of storage subunits;

encrypting the set of storage subunits;

transmitting each of the set of encrypted storage subunits to a respective remote storage host; and

generating a record of a network location of each remote storage host usable to reconstruct the stored data object from the set of encrypted storage units.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored data object comprises a computer readable file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption comprises encryption via a public/private key infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each remote storage host comprises at least one of a client computer, a server computer, a media playback device, and a wireless communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the record of the network location of each remote storage host comprises a storage table, the storage table associating each storage subunit with at least one remote storage host.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of storage subunits comprises a set of files comprising equally sized data blocks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of storage subunits comprises a set of files comprising unequally sized data blocks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the set of remote storage hosts is managed via a cloud management system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the set of encrypted storage subunits from the set of remote storage hosts via the record.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising decrypting the set of encrypted storage subunits.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reconstructing the stored data object from the decrypted storage subunits.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reconstructing is generated based on a data recovery event.

13. A system, comprising:

a first interface to a data store storing a stored data object; and

a second interface to a set of remote storage hosts; and

a processor, communicating with the data store via the first interface and the set of remote storage hosts via the second interface, the processor being configured to—

receive the stored data object,

decompose the stored data object into a set of storage subunits,

encrypt the set of storage subunits,

transmit each of the set of encrypted storage subunits to a respective remote storage host in the set of remote storage hosts, and

generate a record of a network location of each remote storage host usable to reconstruct the stored data object from the set of encrypted storage units.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the stored data object comprises a computer readable file.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the encryption comprises encryption via a public/private key infrastructure.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein each remote storage host comprises at least one of a client computer, a server computer, a media playback device, and a wireless communications device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the set of remote storage hosts is managed via a cloud management system.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the set of encrypted storage subunits from the set of remote storage hosts via the record, decrypt the set of encrypted storage subunits, and reconstruct the stored data object from the decrypted storage subunits.

19. A reconstructed data object, the reconstructed data objecting being stored in a computer readable storage medium and being generated via a method of:

receiving a stored data object from a source;

decomposing the stored data object into a set of storage subunits;

encrypting the set of storage subunits;

transmitting each of the set of encrypted storage subunits to a respective remote storage host;

generating a record of a network location of each remote storage host usable to reconstruct the stored data object from the set of encrypted storage units;

retrieving the set of encrypted storage subunits from the set of remote storage hosts via the record;

decrypting the set of encrypted storage subunits; and

reconstructing the stored data object from the decrypted storage subunits.