International Business Machines Corporation

Pure Storage, Inc.

Patrick Aaron Tamborski

Bart Richard Cilfone

Alan M Frazier

Sanjaya Kumar

Jason K Resch

Wesley B Leggette

Manish Motwani

Richard W France

Charles H Chong

Greg R Dhuse

Andrew D Baptist

Ilya Volvovski

Praveen Viraraghavan

Brian Frederick Ober

Niall John McShane

Mark Duane Seaborn

Ying Zhao Guo

Bart Richard Clifone

Gregory A Papadopoulos

Ryan J Attard

Eric Tashakkor

Akiko Sato

Mechanisms are provided for computing resource access security in which a credential of a user agent is authenticated to determine if the user agent is associated with an entity for which an attribute based encryption (ABE) key is to be generated. If so, an ABE key is generated and provided which corresponds to a set of attributes of the entity. Token issuance logic receives a token request and the ABE key from a relying party computing device and executes a decryption operation on locking metadata associated with at least one attribute value based on the ABE key. The token issuance logic, in response to the decryption operation successfully decrypting the locking metadata, issues a generated token to the relying party computing device based on the at least one attribute value. The relying party computing device accesses the computing resources using the generated token.

Attribute based encryption key based third party data access authorization

Methods for use in a dispersed storage network (DSN) to coordinate execution of tasks by storage units of the DSN. In an embodiment, a computing device of the DSN receives a task (e.g., a maintenance task) to be performed by at least one storage unit of a plurality of storage units. The computing device determines the availability of processing resources of the storage units for execution of the received task. The computing device further compares the respective availability of the processing resources of the storage units of the plurality of storage units to identify a storage unit for execution of the received task, and allocates the received task to the identified storage. In various embodiments, comparing the respective availability of the processing resources includes predicting an impact, with respect to other storage units of the DSN, of performing the received task on the identified storage unit.

Coordination of task execution in a distributed storage network

A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a communication system, a memory that stores operational instructions, and processing circuitry operably coupled to the interface and to the memory that is configured to execute the operational instructions to perform various operations. The computing device monitors a current state of a distributed storage and task processing network (DSTN) management unit by periodically collecting metadata that is compared to a previously recognized similar state. The computing device facilitates returning a resolution to the DSTN management unit to modify the current state using corrective actions and the DSTN management unit is configured to automatically execute the resolution or to record the resolution. Recorded resolutions are later passed to operators assigned to the DSN.

Automatic intervention of global coordinator

A failure detection and correction module (FDCM) uses statistical measurement to detect failures in a distributed computing system caused by hardware, software, workflow, deployment, environmental factors, etc. in a component of the computing system, the computing system, or multiple computing systems and produces corrective actions. The FDCM identifies issues from various components, correlates the estimated failures in each level of components and rolls up failures and estimated failures from each level of components to system level estimations of failures, reevaluates the system reliability factors, readjusts the system reliability and system functions from the adjusted reliability factors, and produces intelligent corrective actions to improve both system reliability and the system efficiency. Corrective action includes changing slice storing parameters and rebuild priorities on a dispersed storage system.

Failure detection and correction in a distributed computing system

A distributed storage network (DSN) processes storage unit maintenance tasks on multiple tiers within the DSN. A master storage unit coordinates pending maintenance tasks when a DSN management unit, originally processing the pending maintenance tasks, changes its status to offline. The method includes the master storage unit aggregating pending maintenance tasks from corresponding DSN storage units into an ordered list of maintenance tasks, facilitating, based on the ordered list of maintenance tasks, coordination of a next maintenance task with a corresponding storage unit and directing execution of the next maintenance task by the corresponding storage unit.

Multi-tier coordination of destructive actions

A multi-system dispersed storage network (DSN) comprises a first DSN system that includes a first plurality of storage units, a first plurality of dispersed storage (DS) processing units and a first set of management units and a second DSN system that includes a second plurality of storage units, a second plurality of DS processing units and a second set of management units. The first set of management units manages a first set of configuration data of the first DSN system. A first management unit of the second set of management units, when, in a first mode, manages at least a first configuration data of the first set of configuration data, in a second mode, manages at least a first configuration data of the second set of configuration data, and in a third mode, manages at least the first configuration data of the first and second sets of configuration data.

Isolation of management data for security and operational advantages

A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method begins by gathering, at a DSN management unit, an abstracted DSN node hardware configuration and associated node health information for a plurality of DSN nodes residing in the DSN. The method continues by generating a graphical display indicating a state and a presence of the plurality of DSN nodes and associated hardware. The method continues by performing, at the DSN management unit, specific remediating actions on the plurality of DSN nodes based on the state and presence of the plurality of DSN nodes and associated hardware.

Automatic remediation of distributed storage system node components through visualization

A method for coordinating management of operation risks in a distributed storage network (DSN) that includes multiple distributed computing systems including DSN memories begins with a global coordinating unit receiving messages including metadata from managing units associated with the multiple distributed computing systems. The method continues with the global coordinating unit determining, based on the metadata, that storage units in one or more of the distributed computing systems are executing or planning to execute an operation that could result in data loss or data outage. The method continues with the global coordinating unit transmitting an alert, including a command to halt the operation at the affected distributed computing systems.

Global coordination of in-progress operation risks for multiple distributed storage network memories

A method begins by determining, by a local management unit of a first locally operated dispersed storage network (DSN) memory of a DSN, a DSN memory issue, where the DSN includes a plurality of locally operated DSN memories and at least one global DSN management unit, and where the plurality of locally operated DSN memories includes the first locally operated DSN memory. The method continues by determining whether the DSN issue is a global DSN issue or a local DSN issue. When the DSN issue is the global DSN issue, the method continues by determining whether the local management unit is configured as a DSN global management unit. When the local management unit is not configured as the global DSN management unit, the method continues by generating DSN operational issue information based on the DSN memory issue and sending the DSN operational issue information to the global DSN management unit.

Catastrophic data loss prevention by global coordinator

A method for execution by dispersed storage network (DSN) monitoring unit that includes a processor includes receiving configuration parameters via an interface of the DSN monitoring unit. A configuration update request is generated for transmission to a plurality of managing units based on the configuration parameters. Collected storage unit data is received from each of the plurality of managing units. Aggregated storage statistics are generated based on the collected storage unit data received from each of the plurality of managing units.

Managing configuration updates in a dispersed storage network

A method for a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method begins by creating a plurality of DSN storage sites including a subset of a plurality of DSN storage units, retrieving current site configuration for each of the plurality of DSN storage units and electing a local master management unit for each of the DSN storage sites. The method continues by maintaining aggregated views of each the DSN storage sites via each of the local master management units, collecting, via the local master management unit, local state information from the subset of a plurality of DSN storage units, calculating, via the local master management unit, tabulated state information and distributing the tabulated state information across all storage units within the DSN storage site, thus reaching consistency. The method includes updating the DSN management unit with the tabulated state information.

Site-based coordination of distributed storage network memory

A method includes delegating, by a managing unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN), authority to configure a sub-portion of at least a portion of the DSN managed by the managing unit to a designated entity according to one or more configuration constraints. The managing unit manages parent configuration data that contains a compilation of configuration changes made to the at least a portion of the DSN. The method further includes managing, by the designated entity, child configuration data that includes a compilation of configuration changes made to the sub-portion of the at least a portion of the DSN. The method further includes, when resolution of the child configuration data and the parent configuration data is triggered, determining whether the child configuration data is formatted in a manner consistent with formatting of the parent configuration data and, if so, incorporating the child configuration data into the parent configuration data.

Delegating dispersed storage network configuration capabilities while preserving ownership constraints

A storage unit (SU) in a dispersed storage network (DSN) coordinates with affiliated dispersed storage units (SUs) to designate a leader SU among the plurality of SUs and when the SU is designated the leader, receives management information that is associated with the affiliated SUs from at least some of the affiliated SUs. The SU processes the management information from the at least some of the affiliated SUs to determine whether at least one of the affiliated SUs is offline; and based on a determination that the at least one of the SUs of the affiliated SUs is offline, transmits the management information for the affiliated SUs to one or more administrators associated with the DSN.

Peer to peer health monitoring of dispersed storage units in a distributed storage network

A method for a dispersed storage network (DSN) includes electing a local master management unit for each DSN storage site. The method continues by maintaining aggregated views of each the DSN storage sites via each of the local master management units, collecting, via the local master management unit, local state information from the subset of a plurality of DSN storage units, calculating, via the local master management unit, tabulated state information and distributing the tabulated state information across all storage units within the DSN storage site, thus reaching consistency. The method includes generating, based on the tabulated state information, alerts for one or more targets within the DSN storage site and distribution of the alerts to the one or more targets within the DSN storage site. The method further includes updating the DSN management unit with the tabulated state information and alert information.

Site-centric alerting in a distributed storage system

A method begins by obtaining dispersed storage network (DSN) operational issue information concerning a DSN memory issue in a first locally operated DSN memory of a plurality of locally operated DSN memories. The method continues with determining whether the DSN memory issue is regarding a local DSN issue or a global DSN issue. When the DSN memory issue is the global DSN issue, the method continues with determining a corrective action in response to the DSN memory issue and determining whether the global DSN management unit is configured for automatic correction of the DSN memory issue. When the global DSN management unit is configured for automatic correction of the DSN memory issue in the first locally operated DSN memory of the plurality of locally operated DSN memories, the method continues with executing the corrective action in the first locally operated DSN memory.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Patrick Aaron Tamborski