Imation Corporation

Prostor Systems, Inc.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

Tandberg Data Holdings S.a.r.l.

Proster Systems, Inc.

Matthew D Bondurant

S Christopher Alaimo

Mark A Payne

Payman Dadashpour

Randy Kerns

Steven W Scroggs

Kishore Kumar Muppirala

Dinesh Venkatesh

Christopher Mayne

Robert Sugar

Chris Mayne

Sasha Alexander Epstein

James D Jones

Ronald John Luman

Benjamin Simpson

Example implementations relate to disaggregated storage systems. An example method may include initializing a plurality of level 1 (L1) clusters in a disaggregated storage system, where each L1 cluster includes multiple compute nodes. The method may also include electing an L1 leader node in each L1 cluster, and forming a level 2 (L2) cluster including the L1 leader nodes. The method may include electing an L2 leader node by the L1 leader nodes included in the L2 cluster.

Disaggregated storage with multiple cluster levels

The present disclosure provides a method and a system for migrating a virtual file server. In an example of a method, a virtual file server is migrated from a first storage to a second storage, wherein the virtual file server comprises a server layer and a data layer. Identity information is retrieved from the server layer from the server layer for the second storage. The identity information is updated so instantiation of the virtual file server on the second storage appears the same as on the first storage.

Virtual file server

According to the disclosure, a unique and novel archiving system that allows the digital shredding of archived data is disclosed. Embodiments of the archiving system include removable disk drives that store data, which may be erased such that the data is considered destroyed but that allows the removable disk drive to be reused. The archiving system can determine which data should be erased. Then, the data is digitally shredded such that the removed data cannot be retrieved or deciphered. In alternative embodiments, a protection may be placed on the data required to be kept because the data is associated with a legal suit. This 'legal hold' prevents the data from being digitally shredded. As such, the archiving system can provide a system that can dispose of data on a file-by-file or granular level without physically destroying the media upon which the data is stored.

Methods for control of digital shredding of media

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unique and novel archiving system that includes two or more network storage systems, each network storage system including removable hard disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges, referred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drives allow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving system need not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. In embodiments, the archiving system accesses, writes, reads, or performs functions on data from one network storage system to another remote network storage system.

Methods for controlling remote archiving systems

Systems and methods for storing and accessing data on a removable media having a changeable data set and an immutable data set. In one embodiment, a system can comprise a removable media storage system adapted to determine whether a host system running one or more applications is configured to enforce Write Once Read Many (WORM) policies. The host system can be communicatively coupled with the removable media storage system and configured to execute instructions causing the host system to determine whether to allow or deny a request to access data on the removable media. The host system can use rules to determine if an access request is to access data of a changeable data set or a immutable data set. If the request is to access data of the changeable data set, access is allowed. If the request is to access data of the immutable data set, reads are allowed, as well as writes of new data. Access requests to rename, delete, and/or write to existing data of the immutable data set are denied.

Methods and systems for rule-based worm enforcement

Embodiments of archival storage system are disclosed. The archival storage system includes one or more removable disk drives that provide random access and are readily expandable. In embodiments, some or all of the data within the removable disk drive(s) is immutable. The archiving system creates a designation for the data representing the data as having Write Once Read Many (WORM) protection. Actions associated with the data may be received and determined to be read accesses. If the actions are something other than a read access, the archiving system, in embodiments, prevents the action on the data.

Methods for implementation of worm enforcement in a storage system

Embodiments provide systems and methods for maintaining immutable data in an archiving system using random access memory. To ensure data is immutable, novel pointers are maintained. For example, a modular drive bay maintains a pointer to a memory address in the removable drive memory cannot write data to a memory block that precedes the pointer. Data may only be stored after the pointer in the removable drive. As such, once data is written to the removable drive, the data cannot be overwritten although the removable drive employs random access memory.

Methods for implementation of worm mode on a removable storage system

According to the disclosure, a unique and novel archiving system that provides one or more application layer partitions to archive data is disclosed. Embodiments include an active archive including a fixed storage. The active archive can create application layer partitions that associate the application layer partitions with portions of the fixed storage. Each application layer partition, in embodiments, has a separate set of controls that allow for customized storage of different data within a single archiving system. Further, embodiments of methods for ensuring storage capacity in the active archive and the application layer partitions within the active archive is also disclosed.

Methods for implementation of an active archive in an archiving system and managing the data in the active archive

Systems and methods for commonality factoring for storing data on removable storage media are described. The systems and methods allow for highly compressed data, e.g., data compressed using archiving or backup methods including de-duplication, to be stored in an efficient manner on portable memory devices such as removable storage cartridges. The methods include breaking data, e.g., data files for backup, into unique chunks and calculating identifiers, e.g., hash identifiers, based on the unique chunks. Redundant chunks can be identified by calculating identifiers and comparing identifiers of other chunks to the identifiers of unique chunks previously calculated. When a redundant chunk is identified, a reference to the existing unique chunk is generated such that the chunk can be reconstituted in relation to other chunks in order to recreate the original data. The method further includes storing one or more of the unique chunks, the identifiers and/or the references on the removable storage medium.

Commonality factoring for removable media

Embodiments provide unique and novel systems and methods for deleting data on removable drives. In embodiments, the removable drives store data that may be erased such that the data is considered destroyed but that allows the removable drive to be reused. The archiving system can determine which data should be erased. Then, the data is digitally shredded on sector boundaries of the removable drives such that the reclaimed memory cannot be read to decipher the erased data. In alternative embodiments, data is written across sector boundaries such that two or more files may occupy a single sector. A journal area allows for copying the data in a sector with two or more files, digitally shredding the sectors in the removable drive, and rewriting the data that was not to be digitally shredded to the original location of the data.

Digitally shredding on removable drives

Systems and methods for commonality factoring for storing data on removable storage media that may allow for highly compressed data to be stored efficiently on portable memory devices. The methods include breaking data into unique chunks and calculating identifiers, e.g., hash identifiers, based on the unique chunks. Redundant chunks can be identified by comparing identifiers of other chunks to the identifiers of unique chunks. When a redundant chunk is identified, a reference to the existing unique chunk is generated such that the chunk can be reconstituted in relation to other chunks in order to recreate the original data. One or more of the unique chunks, the identifiers, and/or the references may be stored on the portable memory device. Hardware and/or software for the chunking and/or hashing functions can reside in a host computer, a removable storage device or cartridge, and/or a removable cartridge holder.

Hardware acceleration of commonality factoring on removable media

An embodiment of a data cartridge for interfacing with a data cartridge authorization system is disclosed. The data cartridge includes a drive and a communication interface. The drive is configured to store data, where the data comprises first information a first password and a fingerprint. The drive comprises an authentication feature configured to lock access to at least a portion of the data where a second password presented to the drive doesn't agree with the first password. The communication interface is coupled to the electronic storage medium and configured to communicatively couple to an authorization system. The communication interface is further configured to: (1) pass the first information to the authorization system subsequent to being communicatively coupled to the authorization system, (2) if the authentication feature is activated, receive the second password in response to passing the first information, and unlock access to the portion of the data locked by the first password if the second password agrees with the first password; and (3) pass the fingerprint to the authorization system. The communication interface is authorized to pass data to and/or receive data from the authorization system if the authorization system verifies the fingerprint as being correlated to the first information.

Growing community of inventors

Superior, CO, United States of America

Matthew D Bondurant