International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundres Inc.

Intrenational Business Machines Corporation

Paul Merril Greco

Glen Alan Jaquette

Kevin Dale Butt

Takashi Katagiri

Scott Milton Fry

Cory G Smith

James Mitchell Karp

Erika Dawson

Gavin Stuart Johnson

Joel Kenneth Lyman

Jon Arthur Lynds

Mark Alfred Lantz

Roy Daron Cideciyan

Simeon Furrer

Ernest Stewart Gale

Eiji Ogura

Kevin Bruce Judd

Randy Clark Inch

Pamela Ruth Nylander-Hill

Edwin Ralph Childers

Yuhko Mori

Scott Jeffrey Schaffer

Steven Michael Wallace

Dale A Christiansen

Brian Gerard Goodman

Raymond Yardy

David Lee Swanson

Shai Halevi

Robert G Biskeborn

Yutaka Oishi

Jason Liang

Brian Gerald Goodman

Ralph Thomas Beeston

Duke Andy Lee

Melanie Jean Sandberg

Michael Ray Noel

A system includes a processor and logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor. The logic is configured to receive a request to store data on media and obtain a data key. The logic is configured to generate an encryption encapsulated data key using the data key and generate a session encrypted data key using the data key. The logic is further configured to provide the session encrypted data key to a machine configured to write encrypted data to the data storage media for use by the machine in writing encrypted data to the data storage media. The logic is configured to provide the encryption encapsulated data key to the machine for enabling the machine to store the encryption encapsulated data key with the data on the data storage media.

Data storage drive with target of opportunity recognition

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes sending a data request from a host to a storage drive, where the data request includes quality of service (QoS) information, receiving, in response to the data request, a response from the storage drive at the host, and performing one or more actions at the host, based on the response.

Implementing data requests with quality of service information

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes receiving at a storage drive, from a host, a data request, implementing the data request at the storage drive, utilizing a streaming mode, and returning, by the storage drive, a confirmation to the host, in response to implementing the data request at the storage drive utilizing the streaming mode.

Implementing a storage drive utilizing a streaming mode

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes sending, from a host to a storage drive, a read request for data, receiving, at the host from the storage drive, a portion of the data as fixed-size two-dimensional units, where the fixed-size two-dimensional units are mapped to fixed-size one-dimensional user data blocks located at the host, and performing one or more actions at the host, utilizing the portion of the data.

Implementing a mapping between data at a storage drive and data blocks at a host

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetic head having servo readers of known pitch, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The controller is configured to measure, using signals from the magnetic head, a servo band difference at various locations along a length of the magnetic recording tape. The controller is also configured to cause storage of servo band difference information about the servo band difference measurements in association with the magnetic recording tape.

Management of head and media dimensional stability

An apparatus configured to characterize a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetic head having servo readers of known pitch, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The controller is configured to measure, using signals from the magnetic head, a servo band difference at various locations along a length of the magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge. The controller is also configured to store the servo band difference measurements and/or derivatives thereof in association with the tape cartridge.

A method for characterizing a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge, according to one approach, includes measuring, using a magnetic head having servo readers of known pitch, a servo band difference at various locations along a length of a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge. The servo band difference measurements and/or derivatives thereof are stored in association with the tape cartridge. This procedure creates a characterization of the magnetic recording tape that is useful for assessing aging of the magnetic recording tape, as well as improving subsequent reading and/or writing operations.

A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a request to store data on media, and generating a data key. An encryption encapsulated data key is generated using the data key. A session encrypted data key is generated using the data key. The encryption encapsulated data key and session encrypted data key are provided for use in writing encrypted data to the media. A method according to another embodiment includes receiving a request to read data from media, and receiving an encryption encapsulated data key. The encryption encapsulated data key is processed to obtain a data key. A session encrypted data key is generated using the data key. The encryption encapsulated data key and session encrypted data key are provided for use in reading the encrypted data from the media.

Provided is a data storage drive for encrypting data, comprising a microprocessor and circuitry coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive a session encrypted data key and to decrypt the session encrypted data key using a session key, wherein a result is a data key that is capable of being used to encrypt clear text and to decrypt cipher text written to a storage medium. Also provided is a system, comprising a microprocessor and circuitry coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive a session encrypted data key and to decrypt the session encrypted data key using a private key, wherein a result is a secret key that is capable of being used to encrypt clear text and to decrypt cipher text written to a storage medium.

Key encryption and decryption

In one embodiment, a product includes a magnetic medium having written thereon data in a data track. The data includes encrypted data written over unencrypted data. An indicator of a physical position on the magnetic medium that corresponds to an end of the encrypted data is stored on the product. A product according to another embodiment includes a magnetic medium having written thereon data in a data track. The data includes encrypted data written over unencrypted data. A portion of the unencrypted data is located before the encrypted data on the medium. An indicator of a physical position on the magnetic medium that corresponds to a beginning of the encrypted data is stored on the product.

Monitoring of residual encrypted data to improve erase performance on a magnetic medium

A system according to one embodiment includes a tape library and a tape drive coupled to the tape library. In response to determining that at least one special operation may be performed, the tape library sends a first notification that the tape drive is to remain in a not ready state. The tape library mounts the tape cartridge in the tape drive after determining that at least one special operation may be performed. A method according to one embodiment includes sending a first notification that a tape drive is to remain in a not ready state in response to determining at least one special operation may be performed by said tape drive upon mounting of a tape cartridge therein. The tape cartridge is caused to be mounted in the tape drive after determining that at least one special operation may be performed.

Automated data storage library with target of opportunity recognition

A storage system includes a plurality of drives that write and read data to and from removable storage media communicatively connected to a storage controller. The storage controller receives comprehensible data and divides the comprehensible data into the plurality of data segments comprising the plurality of data units, manipulates one or more of the plurality of data units within each data segment to form the plurality of unintelligible data segments, generates a decoding key based upon the division and the manipulation, and sends each respective unintelligible data segment to the plurality of drives to store upon the removable storage media. The comprehensible data includes a sufficient number of data units arranged in an order of inherent meaning and the unintelligible data segments include an insufficient number of data units to be comprehensible arranged in an order such that the unintelligible data segments are incomprehensible.

Secure storage system

A system and a computer program product are disclosed for eliminating access to data on removable storage media of a removable storage media cartridge. The system comprises a computer configured to send to a data storage drive a command to eliminate access to data on a removable storage media cartridge, and send to the data storage drive a command to shred at least one key in response to the command, where shredding the at least one key eliminates access to the data on the removable storage media cartridge. A determination to eliminate access to the data on the removable storage media cartridge is based on a number of read and/or write errors encountered for the removable storage media cartridge.

Bulk data erase utilizing an encryption technique

In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to: determine a physical position on a magnetic medium that corresponds to an end of an encrypted data set; store an indicator of the physical position on the magnetic medium and/or a memory coupled thereto; and cause obscuring of an unencrypted data set positioned after the physical position without overwriting the encrypted data set. In another embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium and program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to: read an indicator of a physical position on a magnetic medium that corresponds to an end of an encrypted data set; and cause obscuring of an unencrypted data set positioned after the physical position without overwriting the encrypted data set.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Paul Merril Greco