SYNCHRONIZING PROPRIETARY DATA IN AN EXTERNAL CLOUD WITH DATA IN A PRIVATE STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20170118279A1
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schmatz, Martin, Engbersen, Ton
• Granted Patent: US 10,230,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

The present invention is notably directed to a method for synchronizing proprietary data in an external cloud provided by a cloud service provider with data of a private storage system. The method comprises, at a synchronization system: copying outward data from a flow of outward data sent from a private cloud to the external cloud, the outward data being proprietary data of an entity that owns data of the private cloud. Next, and in parallel to copying outward data: the synchronization system compares copied outward data with data stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared outward data are already replicated in the private storage system. Finally, if it is determined that the compared outward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, it instructs to store the compared outward data on the private storage system. The present invention is further directed to related systems and computer program products.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing proprietary data in an external cloud provided by a cloud service provider with data of a private storage system, the method comprising, at a synchronization system:

copying outward data from a flow of outward data sent from a private cloud to the external cloud, the outward data being proprietary data of an entity that owns data of the private cloud; and

in parallel to copying outward data;

comparing copied outward data with data stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared outward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared outward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared outward data on the private storage system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the outward data are copied from a flow of outward data sent from several nodes of the private cloud.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the synchronization system, in parallel to copying outward data:

copying inward data from a flow of inward data read, in the private cloud, back from the external cloud, the inward data being proprietary data of a same entity that owns said outward data;

the method further comprising, in parallel to copying inward data;

comparing copied inward data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared inward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared inward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared inward data on the private storage system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the inward data are copied from a flow of inward data read at several nodes in the private cloud, back from the external cloud.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the external cloud and in parallel to the synchronization system copying outward data:

monitoring data to detect novel data generated in the external cloud by the external cloud, the novel data being proprietary data of a same entity that owns said outward data; and

upon detecting novel data, apprising the synchronization system of the detected novel data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

apprising the synchronization system comprises sending a copy of the detected novel data.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, at the synchronization system:

upon being apprised of the novel data by the external cloud, comparing the novel data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared novel data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared novel data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared novel data on the private storage system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein

monitoring the novel data is performed by a data crawler.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein

the data crawler used to monitor the novel data is, or is part of, a cloud-based service provided by the external cloud.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

the private cloud is owned by the same entity that owns data of the private cloud.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replicating data stored on said private storage system in another external cloud than said external cloud.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein

the data synchronization system is part of the private cloud.

13. A data synchronization system for synchronizing enterprise data in an external cloud provided by a cloud service provider with data of a private storage system, wherein the system is configured for:

copying outward data from a flow of outward data being sent from the private cloud to the external cloud, the outward data being proprietary data; and

in parallel to copying outward data;

comparing copied outward data with data stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared outward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared outward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared outward data on the private storage system.

14. The data synchronization system of claim 13, wherein the system is further configured for, in parallel to copying outward data:

copying inward data from a flow of inward data read, in the private cloud, back from the external cloud, the inward data being proprietary data; and

and wherein the system is further configured for, in parallel to copying inward data;

comparing copied inward data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared inward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared inward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared inward data on the private storage system.

15. The data synchronization system of claim 14, wherein the system is furthermore configured for, in parallel to copying both outward data and inward data:

upon being apprised of novel data by the external cloud, the novel data being proprietary data generated in the external cloud by the external cloud, comparing the novel data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared novel data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared novel data in said copy are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instructing to store the compared novel data on the private storage system.

16. A private cloud, comprising:

several computing nodes, each configured for;

sending proprietary data to an external cloud provided by a cloud service provider;

receiving proprietary data from the external cloud;

a private storage system of enterprise data; and

the data synchronization system of claim 15, the latter configured in the private cloud to;

copy proprietary data sent to and received from the external cloud by the computing nodes; and

keep apprised, by the external cloud, of novel proprietary data generated in the external cloud by the external cloud.

17. A computer program product for synchronizing proprietary data in an external cloud provided by a cloud service provider with data of a private storage system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a synchronization system to cause the latter to:

copy outward data from a flow of outward data sent from a private cloud to the external cloud, the outward data being proprietary data of an entity that owns data of the private cloud; and

in parallel to copying outward data;

compare copied outward data with data stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared outward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared outward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instruct to store the compared outward data on the private storage system.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the synchronization system to cause the latter to, in parallel to copying outward data:

copy inward data from a flow of inward data read, in the private cloud, back from the external cloud, the inward data being proprietary data; and

in parallel to copying inward data;

compare copied inward data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared inward data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared inward data are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instruct to store the compared inward data on the private storage system.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the synchronization system to cause the latter to, in parallel to copying outward data:

upon being apprised of novel data by the external cloud, the novel data being proprietary data generated in the external cloud by the external cloud, compare the novel data with data already stored on the private storage system, to determine whether the compared novel data are already replicated in the private storage system; and

if it is determined that the compared novel data in said copy are not yet replicated in the private storage system, instruct to store the compared novel data on the private storage system.