U.S. patent application number 14/292662 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-05 for co-locate objects request.
This patent application is currently assigned to CLEVERSAFE, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is CLEVERSAFE, INC.. Invention is credited to Andrew Baptist, Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Michael Colin Storm.
Application Number | 20150039660 14/292662 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52428661 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150039660 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baptist; Andrew ; et
al. |
February 5, 2015 |
CO-LOCATE OBJECTS REQUEST
Abstract
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module
receiving a data object co-locate write request. The method
continues with the DS processing module obtaining a plurality of
sets of encoded data slices for a data object to co-locate. The
method continues with the DS processing module generating a
plurality of sets of slice names for the data object to co-locate
based on another plurality of sets of slice names associated with a
data object to be co-located with. The method continues with the DS
processing module storing the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices in the DSN using the generated plurality of sets of slice
names for the data object co-locate.
Inventors: |
Baptist; Andrew; (Mt.
Pleasant, WI) ; Leggette; Wesley; (Chicago, IL)
; Resch; Jason K.; (Chicago, IL) ; Storm; Michael
Colin; (Chicago, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CLEVERSAFE, INC. |
Chicago |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CLEVERSAFE, INC.
CHICAGO
IL
|
Family ID: |
52428661 |
Appl. No.: |
14/292662 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61860498 |
Jul 31, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
707/827 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 2211/1028 20130101;
G06F 11/1076 20130101; H03M 13/1515 20130101; G06F 3/067 20130101;
H04L 67/1097 20130101; G06F 3/064 20130101; G06F 11/1092 20130101;
H04L 67/306 20130101; G06F 3/0644 20130101; G06F 3/0638 20130101;
G06F 3/0604 20130101; G06F 3/0619 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/827 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/06 20060101
G06F003/06 |
Claims
1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one
or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the
method comprises: receiving a data object co-locate write request;
obtaining a plurality of sets of encoded data slices for a data
object to co-locate; generating a plurality of sets of slice names
for the data object to co-locate based on another plurality of sets
of slice names associated with a data object to be co-located with;
and storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN
using the generated plurality of sets of slice names for the data
object to co-locate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object co-locate write
request includes a first data identifier for the data object to be
co-located and a second data identifier for the data object to be
co-located with.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second data
identifiers include at least: a data name; an object number; and
source name.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second data
identifiers include at least: a slice index field; a vault
identifier (ID) field; a generation field; an object number field;
and a segment number field.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the co-located data objects have
same vault identifier (ID), same generation field number, and
similar object field numbers with storage of the plurality of sets
of encoded data slices in the DSN within a range of DSN addresses
assigned to a common set of storage units within the DSN.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the plurality of sets
of slice names further comprises: modifying the vault ID of the
first data identifier to match the vault ID of the second data
identifier; and modifying the object number fields of the first
data identifier to be in a range of the object number fields of the
second data identifier.
7. The method of claim 4 further comprises: when obtaining a
plurality of sets of encoded data slices, identifying a set of
execution units associated with the data ID of the data object to
be co-located with.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifying includes:
accessing one or more of a directory and a dispersed hierarchical
index to identify a DSN address associated with the data ID of the
data object to be co-located with; and performing a DSN
address-to-physical location table lookup to identify the set of
execution units.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprises: after storing the
plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN, confirming
storage of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and after
confirming, and when the sets of encoded data slices for a data
object to co-locate were previous stored in the DSN, deleting the
previously stored plurality of sets of encoded data slices.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining includes one or
more of: receiving by extracting the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices from the write request; generating by encoding the data
object be co-located using a dispersed storage error coding
function to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;
and retrieving by identifying previous sets of slice names utilized
to store the plurality of sets of encoded data slices based on a
data ID of the data object to become co-located, determining if
they are presently co-located and, if not, issuing one or more sets
of read slice requests to a previously utilized set of storage
units where the one or more sets of read slice requests includes
the previous sets of slice names, and receiving the plurality of
sets of encoded data slices.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object co-locate
request further includes the data object to be co-located.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data object
comprises two or more data objects to be co-located.
13. A dispersed storage (DS) module comprises: a first module, when
operable within a computing device, causes the computing device to:
receive a data object co-locate write request; a second module,
when operable within the computing device, causes the computing
device to: obtain a plurality of sets of encoded data slices for a
data object to co-locate; a third module, when operable within the
computing device, causes the computing device to: generate a
plurality of sets of slice names for the data object to co-locate
based on another plurality of sets of slice names associated with a
data object to be co-located with; and a fourth module, when
operable within the computing device, causes the computing device
to: store the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in memory
using the generated plurality of sets of slice names for the data
object co-locate.
14. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: the second module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: receive, wherein the second module extracts
the plurality of sets of encoded data slices from the write
request; generate, wherein the second module encodes the data
object be co-located using a dispersed storage error coding
function to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;
and retrieve, wherein the second module identifies previous sets of
slice names utilized to store the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices based on a data ID of the data object to become co-located,
issues one or more sets of read slice requests to a previously
utilized set of storage units where the one or more sets of read
slice requests includes the previous sets of slice names, and
receiving the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.
15. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: the third module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: generate the plurality of sets of slice names
to produce co-located data objects with same vault identifier (ID),
same generation field number, and similar object field numbers.
16. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: the second module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: when obtaining the plurality of sets of
encoded data slices, identify a set of execution units associated
with the data ID of the data object to be co-located with, wherein
the identifying includes: accessing one or more of a directory and
a dispersed hierarchical index to identify a memory address
associated with a data ID of the data object to be co-located with;
and performing an address-to-physical location table lookup to
identify the set of execution units.
17. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: the third module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: modify a vault ID of a first data identifier
data of the object to co-locate to match a vault ID of a second
data identifier of the data object to co-locate with; and modify
the object number fields of the first data identifier to be in a
range of the object number fields of the second data
identifier.
18. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: a fifth module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: after storing the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices in the memory, confirm storage of the plurality of sets
of encoded data slices; and after confirming, delete the plurality
of sets of encoded data slices associated with the first data
identifier.
19. The DS module of claim 13 further comprises: the fourth module,
when operable within the computing device, further causes the
computing device to: store the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices in the memory within a range of the memory addresses
assigned to a common set of storage units within the memory.
20. A method for execution within a dispersed storage network
(DSN), the method comprises: receiving a data object co-locate
write request; obtaining a plurality of sets of encoded data slices
for a data object to co-locate including: when the write request
includes the data object to be co-located, encoding the included
data object to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices;
and when the write request identifies a previously stored data
object to be co-located, retrieving sets of encoded data slices of
the previously stored data object; generating a plurality of sets
of slice names for the data object to co-locate based on another
plurality of sets of slice names associated with a data object to
be co-located with including: generating co-located data objects
have same vault identifier (ID), same generation field number, and
object field numbers within a range of addresses assigned to a
common set of storage units storing the plurality of sets of slice
names associated with a data object to be co-located with; and
storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the DSN
using the generated plurality of sets of slice names for the data
object to co-locate.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS
[0001] This patent application is claiming priority under 35 USC
.sctn.119(e) to a provisionally filed patent application entitled
DISPERSED STORAGE AND COMPUTING NETWORK COMPONENTS AND
OPTIMIZATIONS having a provisional filing date of Jul. 31, 2013,
and a provisional serial number of 61/860,498, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made part of
the present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT
DISC
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
[0004] 1. Technical Field
[0005] This present disclosure relates generally to computer
networks and more particularly to dispersed storage of data and
distributed task processing of data.
[0006] 2. Description of Related Art
[0007] Computing devices are known to communicate data, process
data, and/or store data. Such computing devices range from wireless
smart phones, laptops, tablets, personal computers (PC), work
stations, and video game devices, to data centers that support
millions of web searches, stock trades, or on-line purchases every
day. In general, a computing device includes a central processing
unit (CPU), a memory system, user input/output interfaces,
peripheral device interfaces, and an interconnecting bus
structure.
[0008] As is further known, a computer may effectively extend its
CPU by using "cloud computing" to perform one or more computing
functions (e.g., a service, an application, an algorithm, an
arithmetic logic function, etc.) on behalf of the computer.
Further, for large services, applications, and/or functions, cloud
computing may be performed by multiple cloud computing resources in
a distributed manner to improve the response time for completion of
the service, application, and/or function. For example, Hadoop is
an open source software framework that supports distributed
applications enabling application execution by thousands of
computers.
[0009] In addition to cloud computing, a computer may use "cloud
storage" as part of its memory system. As is known, cloud storage
enables a user, via its computer, to store files, applications,
etc. on an Internet storage system. The Internet storage system may
include a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) system and/or
a dispersed storage system that uses an error correction scheme to
encode data for storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
distributed computing system in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
computing core in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of a distributed storage
and task processing in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an
outbound distributed storage and/or task (DST) processing in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a logic diagram of an example of a method for
outbound DST processing in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
dispersed error encoding in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of a segment processing of
the dispersed error encoding in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of error encoding and
slicing processing of the dispersed error encoding in accordance
with the present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of grouping selection
processing of the outbound DST processing in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of converting data into
slice groups in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
DST execution unit in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an example of
operation of a DST execution unit in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0022] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an
inbound distributed storage and/or task (DST) processing in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0023] FIG. 14 is a logic diagram of an example of a method for
inbound DST processing in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 15 is a diagram of an example of de-grouping selection
processing of the inbound DST processing in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
dispersed error decoding in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 17 is a diagram of an example of de-slicing and error
decoding processing of the dispersed error decoding in accordance
with the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example of a de-segment
processing of the dispersed error decoding in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 19 is a diagram of an example of converting slice
groups into data in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 20 is a diagram of an example of a distributed storage
within the distributed computing system in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 21 is a schematic block diagram of an example of
operation of outbound distributed storage and/or task (DST)
processing for storing data in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
dispersed error encoding for the example of FIG. 21 in accordance
with the present disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 23 is a diagram of an example of converting data into
pillar slice groups for storage in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 24 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
storage operation of a DST execution unit in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of an example of
operation of inbound distributed storage and/or task (DST)
processing for retrieving dispersed error encoded data in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 26 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
dispersed error decoding for the example of FIG. 25 in accordance
with the present disclosure;
[0036] FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
distributed storage and task processing network (DSTN) module
storing a plurality of data and a plurality of task codes in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0037] FIG. 28 is a schematic block diagram of an example of the
distributed computing system performing tasks on stored data in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0038] FIG. 29 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
task distribution module facilitating the example of FIG. 28 in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0039] FIG. 30 is a diagram of a specific example of the
distributed computing system performing tasks on stored data in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0040] FIG. 31 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
distributed storage and task processing network (DSTN) module
storing data and task codes for the example of FIG. 30 in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0041] FIG. 32 is a diagram of an example of DST allocation
information for the example of FIG. 30 in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0042] FIGS. 33-38 are schematic block diagrams of the DSTN module
performing the example of FIG. 30 in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0043] FIG. 39 is a diagram of an example of combining result
information into final results for the example of FIG. 30 in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0044] FIGS. 40A-40D are schematic block diagrams of an embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) illustrating an example of
storing data in DSN memory in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0045] FIG. 40E is a flowchart illustrating an example of accessing
data in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0046] FIG. 41 is a flowchart illustrating an example of updating a
dispersed storage network (DSN) address in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0047] FIG. 42 is a flowchart illustrating an example of accessing
an encoded data slice in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0048] FIGS. 43A, 43C-F are schematic block diagrams of an
embodiment of a dispersed storage network (DSN) illustrating an
example of time-based storage of data in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0049] FIG. 43B is a timing diagram illustrating an example of
generating a time-availability pattern in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0050] FIG. 43G is a flowchart illustrating an example of
time-based storage of data in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0051] FIG. 44A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0052] FIG. 44B is a flowchart illustrating an example of assigning
resources in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0053] FIG. 45A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0054] FIG. 45B is a diagram illustrating an example of
load-balancing in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0055] FIG. 46A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0056] FIG. 46B is a diagram illustrating an example of memory
utilization in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0057] FIG. 46C is a diagram illustrating another example of memory
utilization in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0058] FIG. 46D is a flowchart illustrating an example of updating
memory utilization information in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0059] FIG. 46E is a flowchart illustrating example ways to
identify slices needing a rebuild in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0060] FIG. 46F is a flowchart illustrating another example of
updating memory utilization information;
[0061] FIG. 46G is schematic block diagram illustrating an example
DST client module structure for memory utilization;
[0062] FIG. 47A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system in accordance with the
present disclosure;
[0063] FIG. 47B is a diagram illustrating an example of generating
a slice name in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0064] FIG. 47C is a flowchart illustrating an example of
co-locating storage of data in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0065] FIG. 47D is a flowchart illustrating one example of
obtaining the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to be
co-located; and
[0066] FIG. 47E is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system in accordance with the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0067] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
distributed computing system 10 that includes a user device 12
and/or a user device 14, a distributed storage and/or task (DST)
processing unit 16, a distributed storage and/or task network
(DSTN) managing unit 18, a DST integrity processing unit 20, and a
distributed storage and/or task network (DSTN) module 22. The
components of the distributed computing system 10 are coupled via a
network 24, which may include one or more wireless and/or wire
lined communication systems; one or more private intranet systems
and/or public internet systems; and/or one or more local area
networks (LAN) and/or wide area networks (WAN).
[0068] The DSTN module 22 includes a plurality of distributed
storage and/or task (DST) execution units 36 that may be located at
geographically different sites (e.g., one in Chicago, one in
Milwaukee, etc.). Each of the DST execution units is operable to
store dispersed error encoded data and/or to execute, in a
distributed manner, one or more tasks on data. The tasks may be a
simple function (e.g., a mathematical function, a logic function,
an identify function, a find function, a search engine function, a
replace function, etc.), a complex function (e.g., compression,
human and/or computer language translation, text-to-voice
conversion, voice-to-text conversion, etc.), multiple simple and/or
complex functions, one or more algorithms, one or more
applications, etc.
[0069] Each of the user devices 12-14, the DST processing unit 16,
the DSTN managing unit 18, and the DST integrity processing unit 20
include a computing core 26 and may be a portable computing device
and/or a fixed computing device. A portable computing device may be
a social networking device, a gaming device, a cell phone, a smart
phone, a personal digital assistant, a digital music player, a
digital video player, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a
tablet, a video game controller, and/or any other portable device
that includes a computing core. A fixed computing device may be a
personal computer (PC), a computer server, a cable set-top box, a
satellite receiver, a television set, a printer, a fax machine,
home entertainment equipment, a video game console, and/or any type
of home or office computing equipment. User device 12 and DST
processing unit 16 are configured to include a DST client module
34.
[0070] With respect to interfaces, each interface 30, 32, and 33
includes software and/or hardware to support one or more
communication links via the network 24 indirectly and/or directly.
For example, interfaces 30 support a communication link (e.g.,
wired, wireless, direct, via a LAN, via the network 24, etc.)
between user device 14 and the DST processing unit 16. As another
example, interface 32 supports communication links (e.g., a wired
connection, a wireless connection, a LAN connection, and/or any
other type of connection to/from the network 24) between user
device 12 and the DSTN module 22 and between the DST processing
unit 16 and the DSTN module 22. As yet another example, interface
33 supports a communication link for each of the DSTN managing unit
18 and DST integrity processing unit 20 to the network 24.
[0071] The distributed computing system 10 is operable to support
dispersed storage (DS) error encoded data storage and retrieval, to
support distributed task processing on received data, and/or to
support distributed task processing on stored data. In general and
with respect to DS error encoded data storage and retrieval, the
distributed computing system 10 supports three primary operations:
storage management, data storage and retrieval (an example of which
will be discussed with reference to FIGS. 20-26), and data storage
integrity verification. In accordance with these three primary
functions, data can be encoded, distributedly stored in physically
different locations, and subsequently retrieved in a reliable and
secure manner. Such a system is tolerant of a significant number of
failures (e.g., up to a failure level, which may be greater than or
equal to a pillar width minus a decode threshold minus one) that
may result from individual storage device failures and/or network
equipment failures without loss of data and without the need for a
redundant or backup copy. Further, the system allows the data to be
stored for an indefinite period of time without data loss and does
so in a secure manner (e.g., the system is very resistant to
attempts at hacking the data).
[0072] The second primary function (i.e., distributed data storage
and retrieval) begins and ends with a user device 12-14. For
instance, if a second type of user device 14 has data 40 to store
in the DSTN module 22, it sends the data 40 to the DST processing
unit 16 via its interface 30. The interface 30 functions to mimic a
conventional operating system (OS) file system interface (e.g.,
network file system (NFS), flash file system (FFS), disk file
system (DFS), file transfer protocol (FTP), web-based distributed
authoring and versioning (WebDAV), etc.) and/or a block memory
interface (e.g., small computer system interface (SCSI), internet
small computer system interface (iSCSI), etc.). In addition, the
interface 30 may attach a user identification code (ID) to the data
40.
[0073] To support storage management, the DSTN managing unit 18
performs DS management services. One such DS management service
includes the DSTN managing unit 18 establishing distributed data
storage parameters (e.g., vault creation, distributed storage
parameters, security parameters, billing information, user profile
information, etc.) for a user device 12-14 individually or as part
of a group of user devices. For example, the DSTN managing unit 18
coordinates creation of a vault (e.g., a virtual memory block)
within memory of the DSTN module 22 for a user device, a group of
devices, or for public access and establishes per vault dispersed
storage (DS) error encoding parameters for a vault. The DSTN
managing unit 18 may facilitate storage of DS error encoding
parameters for each vault of a plurality of vaults by updating
registry information for the distributed computing system 10. The
facilitating includes storing updated registry information in one
or more of the DSTN module 22, the user device 12, the DST
processing unit 16, and the DST integrity processing unit 20.
[0074] The DS error encoding parameters (e.g., or dispersed storage
error coding parameters) include data segmenting information (e.g.,
how many segments data (e.g., a file, a group of files, a data
block, etc.) is divided into), segment security information (e.g.,
per segment encryption, compression, integrity checksum, etc.),
error coding information (e.g., pillar width, decode threshold,
read threshold, write threshold, etc.), slicing information (e.g.,
the number of encoded data slices that will be created for each
data segment); and slice security information (e.g., per encoded
data slice encryption, compression, integrity checksum, etc.).
[0075] The DSTN managing module 18 creates and stores user profile
information (e.g., an access control list (ACL)) in local memory
and/or within memory of the DSTN module 22. The user profile
information includes authentication information, permissions,
and/or the security parameters. The security parameters may include
encryption/decryption scheme, one or more encryption keys, key
generation scheme, and/or data encoding/decoding scheme.
[0076] The DSTN managing unit 18 creates billing information for a
particular user, a user group, a vault access, public vault access,
etc. For instance, the DSTN managing unit 18 tracks the number of
times a user accesses a private vault and/or public vaults, which
can be used to generate per-access billing information. In another
instance, the DSTN managing unit 18 tracks the amount of data
stored and/or retrieved by a user device and/or a user group, which
can be used to generate per-data-amount billing information.
[0077] Another DS management service includes the DSTN managing
unit 18 performing network operations, network administration,
and/or network maintenance. Network operations includes
authenticating user data allocation requests (e.g., read and/or
write requests), managing creation of vaults, establishing
authentication credentials for user devices, adding/deleting
components (e.g., user devices, DST execution units, and/or DST
processing units) from the distributed computing system 10, and/or
establishing authentication credentials for DST execution units 36.
Network administration includes monitoring devices and/or units for
failures, maintaining vault information, determining device and/or
unit activation status, determining device and/or unit loading,
and/or determining any other system level operation that affects
the performance level of the system 10. Network maintenance
includes facilitating replacing, upgrading, repairing, and/or
expanding a device and/or unit of the system 10.
[0078] To support data storage integrity verification within the
distributed computing system 10, the DST integrity processing unit
20 performs rebuilding of `bad` (e.g., corrupted) or missing
encoded data slices. At a high level, the DST integrity processing
unit 20 performs rebuilding by periodically attempting to
retrieve/list encoded data slices, and/or slice names of the
encoded data slices, from the DSTN module 22. For retrieved encoded
slices, they are checked for errors due to data corruption,
outdated version, etc. If a slice includes an error, it is flagged
as a `bad` slice. For encoded data slices that were not received
and/or not listed, they are flagged as missing slices. Bad and/or
missing slices are subsequently rebuilt using other retrieved
encoded data slices that are deemed to be good slices to produce
rebuilt slices. The rebuilt slices are stored in memory of the DSTN
module 22. Note that the DST integrity processing unit 20 may be a
separate unit as shown, it may be included in the DSTN module 22,
and it may be included in the DST processing unit 16, and/or
distributed among the DST execution units 36.
[0079] To support distributed task processing on received data, the
distributed computing system 10 has two primary operations: DST
(distributed storage and/or task processing) management and DST
execution on received data (an example of which will be discussed
with reference to FIGS. 3-19). With respect to the storage portion
of the DST management, the DSTN managing unit 18 functions as
previously described. With respect to the tasking processing of the
DST management, the DSTN managing unit 18 performs distributed task
processing (DTP) management services. One such DTP management
service includes the DSTN managing unit 18 establishing DTP
parameters (e.g., user-vault affiliation information, billing
information, user-task information, etc.) for a user device 12-14
individually or as part of a group of user devices.
[0080] Another DTP management service includes the DSTN managing
unit 18 performing DTP network operations, network administration
(which is essentially the same as described above), and/or network
maintenance (which is essentially the same as described above).
Network operations include, but are not limited to, authenticating
user task processing requests (e.g., valid request, valid user,
etc.), authenticating results and/or partial results, establishing
DTP authentication credentials for user devices, adding/deleting
components (e.g., user devices, DST execution units, and/or DST
processing units) from the distributed computing system, and/or
establishing DTP authentication credentials for DST execution
units.
[0081] To support distributed task processing on stored data, the
distributed computing system 10 has two primary operations: DST
(distributed storage and/or task) management and DST execution on
stored data. With respect to the DST execution on stored data, if
the second type of user device 14 has a task request 38 for
execution by the DSTN module 22, it sends the task request 38 to
the DST processing unit 16 via its interface 30. An example of DST
execution on stored data will be discussed in greater detail with
reference to FIGS. 27-39. With respect to the DST management, it is
substantially similar to the DST management to support distributed
task processing on received data.
[0082] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
computing core 26 that includes a processing module 50, a memory
controller 52, main memory 54, a video graphics processing unit 55,
an input/output (IO) controller 56, a peripheral component
interconnect (PCI) interface 58, an IO interface module 60, at
least one IO device interface module 62, a read only memory (ROM)
basic input output system (BIOS) 64, and one or more memory
interface modules. The one or more memory interface module(s)
includes one or more of a universal serial bus (USB) interface
module 66, a host bus adapter (HBA) interface module 68, a network
interface module 70, a flash interface module 72, a hard drive
interface module 74, and a DSTN interface module 76.
[0083] The DSTN interface module 76 functions to mimic a
conventional operating system (OS) file system interface (e.g.,
network file system (NFS), flash file system (FFS), disk file
system (DFS), file transfer protocol (FTP), web-based distributed
authoring and versioning (WebDAV), etc.) and/or a block memory
interface (e.g., small computer system interface (SCSI), internet
small computer system interface (iSCSI), etc.). The DSTN interface
module 76 and/or the network interface module 70 may function as
the interface 30 of the user device 14 of FIG. 1. Further note that
the IO device interface module 62 and/or the memory interface
modules may be collectively or individually referred to as IO
ports.
[0084] FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of the distributed
computing system performing a distributed storage and task
processing operation. The distributed computing system includes a
DST (distributed storage and/or task) client module 34 (which may
be in user device 14 and/or in DST processing unit 16 of FIG. 1), a
network 24, a plurality of DST execution units 1-n that includes
two or more DST execution units 36 of FIG. 1 (which form at least a
portion of DSTN module 22 of FIG. 1), a DST managing module (not
shown), and a DST integrity verification module (not shown). The
DST client module 34 includes an outbound DST processing section 80
and an inbound DST processing section 82. Each of the DST execution
units 1-n includes a controller 86, a processing module 84, memory
88, a DT (distributed task) execution module 90, and a DST client
module 34.
[0085] In an example of operation, the DST client module 34
receives data 92 and one or more tasks 94 to be performed upon the
data 92. The data 92 may be of any size and of any content, where,
due to the size (e.g., greater than a few Terabytes), the content
(e.g., secure data, etc.), and/or task(s) (e.g., MIPS intensive),
distributed processing of the task(s) on the data is desired. For
example, the data 92 may be one or more digital books, a copy of a
company's emails, a large-scale Internet search, a video security
file, one or more entertainment video files (e.g., television
programs, movies, etc.), data files, and/or any other large amount
of data (e.g., greater than a few Terabytes).
[0086] Within the DST client module 34, the outbound DST processing
section 80 receives the data 92 and the task(s) 94. The outbound
DST processing section 80 processes the data 92 to produce slice
groupings 96. As an example of such processing, the outbound DST
processing section 80 partitions the data 92 into a plurality of
data partitions. For each data partition, the outbound DST
processing section 80 dispersed storage (DS) error encodes the data
partition to produce encoded data slices and groups the encoded
data slices into a slice grouping 96. In addition, the outbound DST
processing section 80 partitions the task 94 into partial tasks 98,
where the number of partial tasks 98 may correspond to the number
of slice groupings 96.
[0087] The outbound DST processing section 80 then sends, via the
network 24, the slice groupings 96 and the partial tasks 98 to the
DST execution units 1-n of the DSTN module 22 of FIG. 1. For
example, the outbound DST processing section 80 sends slice group 1
and partial task 1 to DST execution unit 1. As another example, the
outbound DST processing section 80 sends slice group #n and partial
task #n to DST execution unit #n.
[0088] Each DST execution unit performs its partial task 98 upon
its slice group 96 to produce partial results 102. For example, DST
execution unit #1 performs partial task #1 on slice group #1 to
produce a partial result #1, for results. As a more specific
example, slice group #1 corresponds to a data partition of a series
of digital books and the partial task #1 corresponds to searching
for specific phrases, recording where the phrase is found, and
establishing a phrase count. In this more specific example, the
partial result #1 includes information as to where the phrase was
found and includes the phrase count.
[0089] Upon completion of generating their respective partial
results 102, the DST execution units send, via the network 24,
their partial results 102 to the inbound DST processing section 82
of the DST client module 34. The inbound DST processing section 82
processes the received partial results 102 to produce a result 104.
Continuing with the specific example of the preceding paragraph,
the inbound DST processing section 82 combines the phrase count
from each of the DST execution units 36 to produce a total phrase
count. In addition, the inbound DST processing section 82 combines
the `where the phrase was found` information from each of the DST
execution units 36 within their respective data partitions to
produce `where the phrase was found` information for the series of
digital books.
[0090] In another example of operation, the DST client module 34
requests retrieval of stored data within the memory of the DST
execution units 36 (e.g., memory of the DSTN module). In this
example, the task 94 is retrieve data stored in the memory of the
DSTN module. Accordingly, the outbound DST processing section 80
converts the task 94 into a plurality of partial tasks 98 and sends
the partial tasks 98 to the respective DST execution units 1-n.
[0091] In response to the partial task 98 of retrieving stored
data, a DST execution unit 36 identifies the corresponding encoded
data slices 100 and retrieves them. For example, DST execution unit
#1 receives partial task #1 and retrieves, in response thereto,
retrieved slices #1. The DST execution units 36 send their
respective retrieved slices 100 to the inbound DST processing
section 82 via the network 24.
[0092] The inbound DST processing section 82 converts the retrieved
slices 100 into data 92. For example, the inbound DST processing
section 82 de-groups the retrieved slices 100 to produce encoded
slices per data partition. The inbound DST processing section 82
then DS error decodes the encoded slices per data partition to
produce data partitions. The inbound DST processing section 82
de-partitions the data partitions to recapture the data 92.
[0093] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an
outbound distributed storage and/or task (DST) processing section
80 of a DST client module 34 FIG. 1 coupled to a DSTN module 22 of
a FIG. 1 (e.g., a plurality of n DST execution units 36) via a
network 24. The outbound DST processing section 80 includes a data
partitioning module 110, a dispersed storage (DS) error encoding
module 112, a grouping selector module 114, a control module 116,
and a distributed task control module 118.
[0094] In an example of operation, the data partitioning module 110
partitions data 92 into a plurality of data partitions 120. The
number of partitions and the size of the partitions may be selected
by the control module 116 via control 160 based on the data 92
(e.g., its size, its content, etc.), a corresponding task 94 to be
performed (e.g., simple, complex, single step, multiple steps,
etc.), DS encoding parameters (e.g., pillar width, decode
threshold, write threshold, segment security parameters, slice
security parameters, etc.), capabilities of the DST execution units
36 (e.g., processing resources, availability of processing
recourses, etc.), and/or as may be inputted by a user, system
administrator, or other operator (human or automated). For example,
the data partitioning module 110 partitions the data 92 (e.g., 100
Terabytes) into 100,000 data segments, each being 1 Gigabyte in
size. Alternatively, the data partitioning module 110 partitions
the data 92 into a plurality of data segments, where some of data
segments are of a different size, are of the same size, or a
combination thereof.
[0095] The DS error encoding module 112 receives the data
partitions 120 in a serial manner, a parallel manner, and/or a
combination thereof. For each data partition 120, the DS error
encoding module 112 DS error encodes the data partition 120 in
accordance with control information 160 from the control module 116
to produce encoded data slices 122. The DS error encoding includes
segmenting the data partition into data segments, segment security
processing (e.g., encryption, compression, watermarking, integrity
check (e.g., CRC), etc.), error encoding, slicing, and/or per slice
security processing (e.g., encryption, compression, watermarking,
integrity check (e.g., CRC), etc.). The control information 160
indicates which steps of the DS error encoding are active for a
given data partition and, for active steps, indicates the
parameters for the step. For example, the control information 160
indicates that the error encoding is active and includes error
encoding parameters (e.g., pillar width, decode threshold, write
threshold, read threshold, type of error encoding, etc.).
[0096] The grouping selector module 114 groups the encoded slices
122 of a data partition into a set of slice groupings 96. The
number of slice groupings corresponds to the number of DST
execution units 36 identified for a particular task 94. For
example, if five DST execution units 36 are identified for the
particular task 94, the group selecting module groups the encoded
slices 122 of a data partition into five slice groupings 96. The
grouping selector module 114 outputs the slice groupings 96 to the
corresponding DST execution units 36 via the network 24.
[0097] The distributed task control module 118 receives the task 94
and converts the task 94 into a set of partial tasks 98. For
example, the distributed task control module 118 receives a task to
find where in the data (e.g., a series of books) a phrase occurs
and a total count of the phrase usage in the data. In this example,
the distributed task control module 118 replicates the task 94 for
each DST execution unit 36 to produce the partial tasks 98. In
another example, the distributed task control module 118 receives a
task to find where in the data a first phrase occurs, where in the
data a second phrase occurs, and a total count for each phrase
usage in the data. In this example, the distributed task control
module 118 generates a first set of partial tasks 98 for finding
and counting the first phase and a second set of partial tasks for
finding and counting the second phrase. The distributed task
control module 118 sends respective first and/or second partial
tasks 98 to each DST execution unit 36.
[0098] FIG. 5 is a logic diagram of an example of a method for
outbound distributed storage and task (DST) processing that begins
at step 126 where a DST client module receives data and one or more
corresponding tasks. The method continues at step 128 where the DST
client module determines a number of DST units to support the task
for one or more data partitions. For example, the DST client module
may determine the number of DST units to support the task based on
the size of the data, the requested task, the content of the data,
a predetermined number (e.g., user indicated, system administrator
determined, etc.), available DST units, capability of the DST
units, and/or any other factor regarding distributed task
processing of the data. The DST client module may select the same
DST units for each data partition, may select different DST units
for the data partitions, or a combination thereof.
[0099] The method continues at step 130 where the DST client module
determines processing parameters of the data based on the number of
DST units selected for distributed task processing. The processing
parameters include data partitioning information, DS encoding
parameters, and/or slice grouping information. The data
partitioning information includes a number of data partitions, size
of each data partition, and/or organization of the data partitions
(e.g., number of data blocks in a partition, the size of the data
blocks, and arrangement of the data blocks). The DS encoding
parameters include segmenting information, segment security
information, error encoding information (e.g., dispersed storage
error encoding function parameters including one or more of pillar
width, decode threshold, write threshold, read threshold, generator
matrix), slicing information, and/or per slice security
information. The slice grouping information includes information
regarding how to arrange the encoded data slices into groups for
the selected DST units. As a specific example, if the DST client
module determines that five DST units are needed to support the
task, then it determines that the error encoding parameters include
a pillar width of five and a decode threshold of three.
[0100] The method continues at step 132 where the DST client module
determines task partitioning information (e.g., how to partition
the tasks) based on the selected DST units and data processing
parameters. The data processing parameters include the processing
parameters and DST unit capability information. The DST unit
capability information includes the number of DT (distributed task)
execution units, execution capabilities of each DT execution unit
(e.g., MIPS capabilities, processing resources (e.g., quantity and
capability of microprocessors, CPUs, digital signal processors,
co-processor, microcontrollers, arithmetic logic circuitry, and/or
and the other analog and/or digital processing circuitry),
availability of the processing resources, memory information (e.g.,
type, size, availability, etc.)), and/or any information germane to
executing one or more tasks.
[0101] The method continues at step 134 where the DST client module
processes the data in accordance with the processing parameters to
produce slice groupings. The method continues at step 136 where the
DST client module partitions the task based on the task
partitioning information to produce a set of partial tasks. The
method continues at step 138 where the DST client module sends the
slice groupings and the corresponding partial tasks to respective
DST units.
[0102] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the
dispersed storage (DS) error encoding module 112 of an outbound
distributed storage and task (DST) processing section. The DS error
encoding module 112 includes a segment processing module 142, a
segment security processing module 144, an error encoding module
146, a slicing module 148, and a per slice security processing
module 150. Each of these modules is coupled to a control module
116 to receive control information 160 therefrom.
[0103] In an example of operation, the segment processing module
142 receives a data partition 120 from a data partitioning module
and receives segmenting information as the control information 160
from the control module 116. The segmenting information indicates
how the segment processing module 142 is to segment the data
partition 120. For example, the segmenting information indicates
how many rows to segment the data based on a decode threshold of an
error encoding scheme, indicates how many columns to segment the
data into based on a number and size of data blocks within the data
partition 120, and indicates how many columns to include in a data
segment 152. The segment processing module 142 segments the data
120 into data segments 152 in accordance with the segmenting
information.
[0104] The segment security processing module 144, when enabled by
the control module 116, secures the data segments 152 based on
segment security information received as control information 160
from the control module 116. The segment security information
includes data compression, encryption, watermarking, integrity
check (e.g., cyclic redundancy check (CRC), etc.), and/or any other
type of digital security. For example, when the segment security
processing module 144 is enabled, it may compress a data segment
152, encrypt the compressed data segment, and generate a CRC value
for the encrypted data segment to produce a secure data segment
154. When the segment security processing module 144 is not
enabled, it passes the data segments 152 to the error encoding
module 146 or is bypassed such that the data segments 152 are
provided to the error encoding module 146.
[0105] The error encoding module 146 encodes the secure data
segments 154 in accordance with error correction encoding
parameters received as control information 160 from the control
module 116. The error correction encoding parameters (e.g., also
referred to as dispersed storage error coding parameters) include
identifying an error correction encoding scheme (e.g., forward
error correction algorithm, a Reed-Solomon based algorithm, an
online coding algorithm, an information dispersal algorithm, etc.),
a pillar width, a decode threshold, a read threshold, a write
threshold, etc. For example, the error correction encoding
parameters identify a specific error correction encoding scheme,
specifies a pillar width of five, and specifies a decode threshold
of three. From these parameters, the error encoding module 146
encodes a data segment 154 to produce an encoded data segment
156.
[0106] The slicing module 148 slices the encoded data segment 156
in accordance with the pillar width of the error correction
encoding parameters received as control information 160. For
example, if the pillar width is five, the slicing module 148 slices
an encoded data segment 156 into a set of five encoded data slices.
As such, for a plurality of encoded data segments 156 for a given
data partition, the slicing module outputs a plurality of sets of
encoded data slices 158.
[0107] The per slice security processing module 150, when enabled
by the control module 116, secures each encoded data slice 158
based on slice security information received as control information
160 from the control module 116. The slice security information
includes data compression, encryption, watermarking, integrity
check (e.g., CRC, etc.), and/or any other type of digital security.
For example, when the per slice security processing module 150 is
enabled, it compresses an encoded data slice 158, encrypts the
compressed encoded data slice, and generates a CRC value for the
encrypted encoded data slice to produce a secure encoded data slice
122. When the per slice security processing module 150 is not
enabled, it passes the encoded data slices 158 or is bypassed such
that the encoded data slices 158 are the output of the DS error
encoding module 112. Note that the control module 116 may be
omitted and each module stores its own parameters.
[0108] FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of a segment processing of
a dispersed storage (DS) error encoding module. In this example, a
segment processing module 142 receives a data partition 120 that
includes 45 data blocks (e.g., d1-d45), receives segmenting
information (i.e., control information 160) from a control module,
and segments the data partition 120 in accordance with the control
information 160 to produce data segments 152. Each data block may
be of the same size as other data blocks or of a different size. In
addition, the size of each data block may be a few bytes to
megabytes of data. As previously mentioned, the segmenting
information indicates how many rows to segment the data partition
into, indicates how many columns to segment the data partition
into, and indicates how many columns to include in a data
segment.
[0109] In this example, the decode threshold of the error encoding
scheme is three; as such the number of rows to divide the data
partition into is three. The number of columns for each row is set
to 15, which is based on the number and size of data blocks. The
data blocks of the data partition are arranged in rows and columns
in a sequential order (i.e., the first row includes the first 15
data blocks; the second row includes the second 15 data blocks; and
the third row includes the last 15 data blocks).
[0110] With the data blocks arranged into the desired sequential
order, they are divided into data segments based on the segmenting
information. In this example, the data partition is divided into 8
data segments; the first 7 include 2 columns of three rows and the
last includes 1 column of three rows. Note that the first row of
the 8 data segments is in sequential order of the first 15 data
blocks; the second row of the 8 data segments in sequential order
of the second 15 data blocks; and the third row of the 8 data
segments in sequential order of the last 15 data blocks. Note that
the number of data blocks, the grouping of the data blocks into
segments, and size of the data blocks may vary to accommodate the
desired distributed task processing function.
[0111] FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of error encoding and
slicing processing of the dispersed error encoding processing the
data segments of FIG. 7. In this example, data segment 1 includes 3
rows with each row being treated as one word for encoding. As such,
data segment 1 includes three words for encoding: word 1 including
data blocks d1 and d2, word 2 including data blocks d16 and d17,
and word 3 including data blocks d31 and d32. Each of data segments
2-7 includes three words where each word includes two data blocks.
Data segment 8 includes three words where each word includes a
single data block (e.g., d15, d30, and d45).
[0112] In operation, an error encoding module 146 and a slicing
module 148 convert each data segment into a set of encoded data
slices in accordance with error correction encoding parameters as
control information 160. More specifically, when the error
correction encoding parameters indicate a unity matrix Reed-Solomon
based encoding algorithm, 5 pillars, and decode threshold of 3, the
first three encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices
for a data segment are substantially similar to the corresponding
word of the data segment. For instance, when the unity matrix
Reed-Solomon based encoding algorithm is applied to data segment 1,
the content of the first encoded data slice (DS1_d1&2) of the
first set of encoded data slices (e.g., corresponding to data
segment 1) is substantially similar to content of the first word
(e.g., d1 & d2); the content of the second encoded data slice
(DS1_d16&17) of the first set of encoded data slices is
substantially similar to content of the second word (e.g., d16
& d17); and the content of the third encoded data slice
(DS1_d31&32) of the first set of encoded data slices is
substantially similar to content of the third word (e.g., d31 &
d32).
[0113] The content of the fourth and fifth encoded data slices
(e.g., ES1.sub.--1 and ES1.sub.--2) of the first set of encoded
data slices include error correction data based on the first-third
words of the first data segment. With such an encoding and slicing
scheme, retrieving any three of the five encoded data slices allows
the data segment to be accurately reconstructed.
[0114] The encoding and slices of data segments 2-7 yield sets of
encoded data slices similar to the set of encoded data slices of
data segment 1. For instance, the content of the first encoded data
slice (DS2_d3&4) of the second set of encoded data slices
(e.g., corresponding to data segment 2) is substantially similar to
content of the first word (e.g., d3 & d4); the content of the
second encoded data slice (DS2_d18&19) of the second set of
encoded data slices is substantially similar to content of the
second word (e.g., d18 & d19); and the content of the third
encoded data slice (DS2_d33&34) of the second set of encoded
data slices is substantially similar to content of the third word
(e.g., d33 & d34). The content of the fourth and fifth encoded
data slices (e.g., ES1.sub.--1 and ES1.sub.--2) of the second set
of encoded data slices includes error correction data based on the
first-third words of the second data segment.
[0115] FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of grouping selection
processing of an outbound distributed storage and task (DST)
processing in accordance with group selection information as
control information 160 from a control module. Encoded slices for
data partition 122 are grouped in accordance with the control
information 160 to produce slice groupings 96. In this example, a
grouping selection module 114 organizes the encoded data slices
into five slice groupings (e.g., one for each DST execution unit of
a distributed storage and task network (DSTN) module). As a
specific example, the grouping selection module 114 creates a first
slice grouping for a DST execution unit #1, which includes first
encoded slices of each of the sets of encoded slices. As such, the
first DST execution unit receives encoded data slices corresponding
to data blocks 1-15 (e.g., encoded data slices of contiguous
data).
[0116] The grouping selection module 114 also creates a second
slice grouping for a DST execution unit #2, which includes second
encoded slices of each of the sets of encoded slices. As such, the
second DST execution unit receives encoded data slices
corresponding to data blocks 16-30. The grouping selection module
114 further creates a third slice grouping for DST execution unit
#3, which includes third encoded slices of each of the sets of
encoded slices. As such, the third DST execution unit receives
encoded data slices corresponding to data blocks 31-45.
[0117] The grouping selection module 114 creates a fourth slice
grouping for DST execution unit #4, which includes fourth encoded
slices of each of the sets of encoded slices. As such, the fourth
DST execution unit receives encoded data slices corresponding to
first error encoding information (e.g., encoded data slices of
error coding (EC) data). The grouping selection module 114 further
creates a fifth slice grouping for DST execution unit #5, which
includes fifth encoded slices of each of the sets of encoded
slices. As such, the fifth DST execution unit receives encoded data
slices corresponding to second error encoding information.
[0118] FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of converting data 92
into slice groups that expands on the preceding figures. As shown,
the data 92 is partitioned in accordance with a partitioning
function 164 into a plurality of data partitions (1-x, where x is
an integer greater than 4). Each data partition (or chunkset of
data) is encoded and grouped into slice groupings as previously
discussed by an encoding and grouping function 166. For a given
data partition, the slice groupings are sent to distributed storage
and task (DST) execution units. From data partition to data
partition, the ordering of the slice groupings to the DST execution
units may vary.
[0119] For example, the slice groupings of data partition #1 is
sent to the DST execution units such that the first DST execution
receives first encoded data slices of each of the sets of encoded
data slices, which corresponds to a first continuous data chunk of
the first data partition (e.g., refer to FIG. 9), a second DST
execution receives second encoded data slices of each of the sets
of encoded data slices, which corresponds to a second continuous
data chunk of the first data partition, etc.
[0120] For the second data partition, the slice groupings may be
sent to the DST execution units in a different order than it was
done for the first data partition. For instance, the first slice
grouping of the second data partition (e.g., slice group 2.sub.--1)
is sent to the second DST execution unit; the second slice grouping
of the second data partition (e.g., slice group 2.sub.--2) is sent
to the third DST execution unit; the third slice grouping of the
second data partition (e.g., slice group 2.sub.--3) is sent to the
fourth DST execution unit; the fourth slice grouping of the second
data partition (e.g., slice group 2.sub.--4, which includes first
error coding information) is sent to the fifth DST execution unit;
and the fifth slice grouping of the second data partition (e.g.,
slice group 2.sub.--5, which includes second error coding
information) is sent to the first DST execution unit.
[0121] The pattern of sending the slice groupings to the set of DST
execution units may vary in a predicted pattern, a random pattern,
and/or a combination thereof from data partition to data partition.
In addition, from data partition to data partition, the set of DST
execution units may change. For example, for the first data
partition, DST execution units 1-5 may be used; for the second data
partition, DST execution units 6-10 may be used; for the third data
partition, DST execution units 3-7 may be used; etc. As is also
shown, the task is divided into partial tasks that are sent to the
DST execution units in conjunction with the slice groupings of the
data partitions.
[0122] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
DST (distributed storage and/or task) execution unit that includes
an interface 169, a controller 86, memory 88, one or more DT
(distributed task) execution modules 90, and a DST client module
34. The memory 88 is of sufficient size to store a significant
number of encoded data slices (e.g., thousands of slices to
hundreds-of-millions of slices) and may include one or more hard
drives and/or one or more solid-state memory devices (e.g., flash
memory, DRAM, etc.).
[0123] In an example of storing a slice group, the DST execution
module receives a slice grouping 96 (e.g., slice group #1) via
interface 169. The slice grouping 96 includes, per partition,
encoded data slices of contiguous data or encoded data slices of
error coding (EC) data. For slice group #1, the DST execution
module receives encoded data slices of contiguous data for
partitions #1 and #x (and potentially others between 3 and x) and
receives encoded data slices of EC data for partitions #2 and #3
(and potentially others between 3 and x). Examples of encoded data
slices of contiguous data and encoded data slices of error coding
(EC) data are discussed with reference to FIG. 9. The memory 88
stores the encoded data slices of slice groupings 96 in accordance
with memory control information 174 it receives from the controller
86.
[0124] The controller 86 (e.g., a processing module, a CPU, etc.)
generates the memory control information 174 based on a partial
task(s) 98 and distributed computing information (e.g., user
information (e.g., user ID, distributed computing permissions, data
access permission, etc.), vault information (e.g., virtual memory
assigned to user, user group, temporary storage for task
processing, etc.), task validation information, etc.). For example,
the controller 86 interprets the partial task(s) 98 in light of the
distributed computing information to determine whether a requestor
is authorized to perform the task 98, is authorized to access the
data, and/or is authorized to perform the task on this particular
data. When the requestor is authorized, the controller 86
determines, based on the task 98 and/or another input, whether the
encoded data slices of the slice grouping 96 are to be temporarily
stored or permanently stored. Based on the foregoing, the
controller 86 generates the memory control information 174 to write
the encoded data slices of the slice grouping 96 into the memory 88
and to indicate whether the slice grouping 96 is permanently stored
or temporarily stored.
[0125] With the slice grouping 96 stored in the memory 88, the
controller 86 facilitates execution of the partial task(s) 98. In
an example, the controller 86 interprets the partial task 98 in
light of the capabilities of the DT execution module(s) 90. The
capabilities include one or more of MIPS capabilities, processing
resources (e.g., quantity and capability of microprocessors, CPUs,
digital signal processors, co-processor, microcontrollers,
arithmetic logic circuitry, and/or any other analog and/or digital
processing circuitry), availability of the processing resources,
etc. If the controller 86 determines that the DT execution
module(s) 90 have sufficient capabilities, it generates task
control information 176.
[0126] The task control information 176 may be a generic
instruction (e.g., perform the task on the stored slice grouping)
or a series of operational codes. In the former instance, the DT
execution module 90 includes a co-processor function specifically
configured (fixed or programmed) to perform the desired task 98. In
the latter instance, the DT execution module 90 includes a general
processor topology where the controller stores an algorithm
corresponding to the particular task 98. In this instance, the
controller 86 provides the operational codes (e.g., assembly
language, source code of a programming language, object code, etc.)
of the algorithm to the DT execution module 90 for execution.
[0127] Depending on the nature of the task 98, the DT execution
module 90 may generate intermediate partial results 102 that are
stored in the memory 88 or in a cache memory (not shown) within the
DT execution module 90. In either case, when the DT execution
module 90 completes execution of the partial task 98, it outputs
one or more partial results 102. The partial results 102 may also
be stored in memory 88.
[0128] If, when the controller 86 is interpreting whether
capabilities of the DT execution module(s) 90 can support the
partial task 98, the controller 86 determines that the DT execution
module(s) 90 cannot adequately support the task 98 (e.g., does not
have the right resources, does not have sufficient available
resources, available resources would be too slow, etc.), it then
determines whether the partial task 98 should be fully offloaded or
partially offloaded.
[0129] If the controller 86 determines that the partial task 98
should be fully offloaded, it generates DST control information 178
and provides it to the DST client module 34. The DST control
information 178 includes the partial task 98, memory storage
information regarding the slice grouping 96, and distribution
instructions. The distribution instructions instruct the DST client
module 34 to divide the partial task 98 into sub-partial tasks 172,
to divide the slice grouping 96 into sub-slice groupings 170, and
identify other DST execution units. The DST client module 34
functions in a similar manner as the DST client module 34 of FIGS.
3-10 to produce the sub-partial tasks 172 and the sub-slice
groupings 170 in accordance with the distribution instructions.
[0130] The DST client module 34 receives DST feedback 168 (e.g.,
sub-partial results), via the interface 169, from the DST execution
units to which the task was offloaded. The DST client module 34
provides the sub-partial results to the DST execution unit, which
processes the sub-partial results to produce the partial result(s)
102.
[0131] If the controller 86 determines that the partial task 98
should be partially offloaded, it determines what portion of the
task 98 and/or slice grouping 96 should be processed locally and
what should be offloaded. For the portion that is being locally
processed, the controller 86 generates task control information 176
as previously discussed. For the portion that is being offloaded,
the controller 86 generates DST control information 178 as
previously discussed.
[0132] When the DST client module 34 receives DST feedback 168
(e.g., sub-partial results) from the DST executions units to which
a portion of the task was offloaded, it provides the sub-partial
results to the DT execution module 90. The DT execution module 90
processes the sub-partial results with the sub-partial results it
created to produce the partial result(s) 102.
[0133] The memory 88 may be further utilized to retrieve one or
more of stored slices 100, stored results 104, and partial results
102 when the DT execution module 90 stores partial results 102
and/or results 104 and the memory 88. For example, when the partial
task 98 includes a retrieval request, the controller 86 outputs the
memory control 174 to the memory 88 to facilitate retrieval of
slices 100 and/or results 104.
[0134] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an example of
operation of a distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit
storing encoded data slices and executing a task thereon. To store
the encoded data slices of a partition 1 of slice grouping 1, a
controller 86 generates write commands as memory control
information 174 such that the encoded slices are stored in desired
locations (e.g., permanent or temporary) within memory 88.
[0135] Once the encoded slices are stored, the controller 86
provides task control information 176 to a distributed task (DT)
execution module 90. As a first step executing the task in
accordance with the task control information 176, the DT execution
module 90 retrieves the encoded slices from memory 88. The DT
execution module 90 then reconstructs contiguous data blocks of a
data partition. As shown for this example, reconstructed contiguous
data blocks of data partition 1 include data blocks 1-15 (e.g.,
d1-d15).
[0136] With the contiguous data blocks reconstructed, the DT
execution module 90 performs the task on the reconstructed
contiguous data blocks. For example, the task may be to search the
reconstructed contiguous data blocks for a particular word or
phrase, identify where in the reconstructed contiguous data blocks
the particular word or phrase occurred, and/or count the
occurrences of the particular word or phrase on the reconstructed
contiguous data blocks. The DST execution unit continues in a
similar manner for the encoded data slices of other partitions in
slice grouping 1. Note that with using the unity matrix error
encoding scheme previously discussed, if the encoded data slices of
contiguous data are uncorrupted, the decoding of them is a
relatively straightforward process of extracting the data.
[0137] If, however, an encoded data slice of contiguous data is
corrupted (or missing), it can be rebuilt by accessing other DST
execution units that are storing the other encoded data slices of
the set of encoded data slices of the corrupted encoded data slice.
In this instance, the DST execution unit having the corrupted
encoded data slices retrieves at least three encoded data slices
(of contiguous data and of error coding data) in the set from the
other DST execution units (recall for this example, the pillar
width is 5 and the decode threshold is 3). The DST execution unit
decodes the retrieved data slices using the DS error encoding
parameters to recapture the corresponding data segment. The DST
execution unit then re-encodes the data segment using the DS error
encoding parameters to rebuild the corrupted encoded data slice.
Once the encoded data slice is rebuilt, the DST execution unit
functions as previously described.
[0138] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an
inbound distributed storage and/or task (DST) processing section 82
of a DST client module coupled to DST execution units of a
distributed storage and task network (DSTN) module via a network
24. The inbound DST processing section 82 includes a de-grouping
module 180, a DS (dispersed storage) error decoding module 182, a
data de-partitioning module 184, a control module 186, and a
distributed task control module 188. Note that the control module
186 and/or the distributed task control module 188 may be separate
modules from corresponding ones of outbound DST processing section
or may be the same modules.
[0139] In an example of operation, the DST execution units have
completed execution of corresponding partial tasks on the
corresponding slice groupings to produce partial results 102. The
inbound DST processing section 82 receives the partial results 102
via the distributed task control module 188. The inbound DST
processing section 82 then processes the partial results 102 to
produce a final result, or results 104. For example, if the task
was to find a specific word or phrase within data, the partial
results 102 indicate where in each of the prescribed portions of
the data the corresponding DST execution units found the specific
word or phrase. The distributed task control module 188 combines
the individual partial results 102 for the corresponding portions
of the data into a final result 104 for the data as a whole.
[0140] In another example of operation, the inbound DST processing
section 82 is retrieving stored data from the DST execution units
(i.e., the DSTN module). In this example, the DST execution units
output encoded data slices 100 corresponding to the data retrieval
requests. The de-grouping module 180 receives retrieved slices 100
and de-groups them to produce encoded data slices per data
partition 122. The DS error decoding module 182 decodes, in
accordance with DS error encoding parameters, the encoded data
slices per data partition 122 to produce data partitions 120.
[0141] The data de-partitioning module 184 combines the data
partitions 120 into the data 92. The control module 186 controls
the conversion of retrieve slices 100 into the data 92 using
control signals 190 to each of the modules. For instance, the
control module 186 provides de-grouping information to the
de-grouping module 180, provides the DS error encoding parameters
to the DS error decoding module 182, and provides de-partitioning
information to the data de-partitioning module 184.
[0142] FIG. 14 is a logic diagram of an example of a method that is
executable by distributed storage and task (DST) client module
regarding inbound DST processing. The method begins at step 194
where the DST client module receives partial results. The method
continues at step 196 where the DST client module retrieves the
task corresponding to the partial results. For example, the partial
results include header information that identifies the requesting
entity, which correlates to the requested task.
[0143] The method continues at step 198 where the DST client module
determines result processing information based on the task. For
example, if the task were to identify a particular word or phrase
within the data, the result processing information would indicate
to aggregate the partial results for the corresponding portions of
the data to produce the final result. As another example, if the
task were to count the occurrences of a particular word or phrase
within the data, results of processing the information would
indicate to add the partial results to produce the final results.
The method continues at step 200 where the DST client module
processes the partial results in accordance with the result
processing information to produce the final result or results.
[0144] FIG. 15 is a diagram of an example of de-grouping selection
processing of an inbound distributed storage and task (DST)
processing section of a DST client module. In general, this is an
inverse process of the grouping module of the outbound DST
processing section of FIG. 9. Accordingly, for each data partition
(e.g., partition #1), the de-grouping module retrieves the
corresponding slice grouping from the DST execution units (EU)
(e.g., DST 1-5).
[0145] As shown, DST execution unit #1 provides a first slice
grouping, which includes the first encoded slices of each of the
sets of encoded slices (e.g., encoded data slices of contiguous
data of data blocks 1-15); DST execution unit #2 provides a second
slice grouping, which includes the second encoded slices of each of
the sets of encoded slices (e.g., encoded data slices of contiguous
data of data blocks 16-30); DST execution unit #3 provides a third
slice grouping, which includes the third encoded slices of each of
the sets of encoded slices (e.g., encoded data slices of contiguous
data of data blocks 31-45); DST execution unit #4 provides a fourth
slice grouping, which includes the fourth encoded slices of each of
the sets of encoded slices (e.g., first encoded data slices of
error coding (EC) data); and DST execution unit #5 provides a fifth
slice grouping, which includes the fifth encoded slices of each of
the sets of encoded slices (e.g., first encoded data slices of
error coding (EC) data).
[0146] The de-grouping module de-groups the slice groupings (e.g.,
received slices 100) using a de-grouping selector 180 controlled by
a control signal 190 as shown in the example to produce a plurality
of sets of encoded data slices (e.g., retrieved slices for a
partition into sets of slices 122). Each set corresponding to a
data segment of the data partition.
[0147] FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
dispersed storage (DS) error decoding module 182 of an inbound
distributed storage and task (DST) processing section. The DS error
decoding module 182 includes an inverse per slice security
processing module 202, a de-slicing module 204, an error decoding
module 206, an inverse segment security module 208, a de-segmenting
processing module 210, and a control module 186.
[0148] In an example of operation, the inverse per slice security
processing module 202, when enabled by the control module 186,
unsecures each encoded data slice 122 based on slice de-security
information received as control information 190 (e.g., the
compliment of the slice security information discussed with
reference to FIG. 6) received from the control module 186. The
slice security information includes data decompression, decryption,
de-watermarking, integrity check (e.g., CRC verification, etc.),
and/or any other type of digital security. For example, when the
inverse per slice security processing module 202 is enabled, it
verifies integrity information (e.g., a CRC value) of each encoded
data slice 122, it decrypts each verified encoded data slice, and
decompresses each decrypted encoded data slice to produce slice
encoded data 158. When the inverse per slice security processing
module 202 is not enabled, it passes the encoded data slices 122 as
the sliced encoded data 158 or is bypassed such that the retrieved
encoded data slices 122 are provided as the sliced encoded data
158.
[0149] The de-slicing module 204 de-slices the sliced encoded data
158 into encoded data segments 156 in accordance with a pillar
width of the error correction encoding parameters received as
control information 190 from the control module 186. For example,
if the pillar width is five, the de-slicing module 204 de-slices a
set of five encoded data slices into an encoded data segment 156.
The error decoding module 206 decodes the encoded data segments 156
in accordance with error correction decoding parameters received as
control information 190 from the control module 186 to produce
secure data segments 154. The error correction decoding parameters
include identifying an error correction encoding scheme (e.g.,
forward error correction algorithm, a Reed-Solomon based algorithm,
an information dispersal algorithm, etc.), a pillar width, a decode
threshold, a read threshold, a write threshold, etc. For example,
the error correction decoding parameters identify a specific error
correction encoding scheme, specify a pillar width of five, and
specify a decode threshold of three.
[0150] The inverse segment security processing module 208, when
enabled by the control module 186, unsecures the secured data
segments 154 based on segment security information received as
control information 190 from the control module 186. The segment
security information includes data decompression, decryption,
de-watermarking, integrity check (e.g., CRC, etc.) verification,
and/or any other type of digital security. For example, when the
inverse segment security processing module 208 is enabled, it
verifies integrity information (e.g., a CRC value) of each secure
data segment 154, it decrypts each verified secured data segment,
and decompresses each decrypted secure data segment to produce a
data segment 152. When the inverse segment security processing
module 208 is not enabled, it passes the decoded data segment 154
as the data segment 152 or is bypassed.
[0151] The de-segment processing module 210 receives the data
segments 152 and receives de-segmenting information as control
information 190 from the control module 186. The de-segmenting
information indicates how the de-segment processing module 210 is
to de-segment the data segments 152 into a data partition 120. For
example, the de-segmenting information indicates how the rows and
columns of data segments are to be rearranged to yield the data
partition 120.
[0152] FIG. 17 is a diagram of an example of de-slicing and error
decoding processing of a dispersed error decoding module. A
de-slicing module 204 receives at least a decode threshold number
of encoded data slices 158 for each data segment in accordance with
control information 190 and provides encoded data 156. In this
example, a decode threshold is three. As such, each set of encoded
data slices 158 is shown to have three encoded data slices per data
segment. The de-slicing module 204 may receive three encoded data
slices per data segment because an associated distributed storage
and task (DST) client module requested retrieving only three
encoded data slices per segment or selected three of the retrieved
encoded data slices per data segment. As shown, which is based on
the unity matrix encoding previously discussed with reference to
FIG. 8, an encoded data slice may be a data-based encoded data
slice (e.g., DS1_d1&d2) or an error code based encoded data
slice (e.g., ES3.sub.--1).
[0153] An error decoding module 206 decodes the encoded data 156 of
each data segment in accordance with the error correction decoding
parameters of control information 190 to produce secured segments
154. In this example, data segment 1 includes 3 rows with each row
being treated as one word for encoding. As such, data segment 1
includes three words: word 1 including data blocks d1 and d2, word
2 including data blocks d16 and d17, and word 3 including data
blocks d31 and d32. Each of data segments 2-7 includes three words
where each word includes two data blocks. Data segment 8 includes
three words where each word includes a single data block (e.g.,
d15, d30, and d45).
[0154] FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example of a de-segment
processing of an inbound distributed storage and task (DST)
processing. In this example, a de-segment processing module 210
receives data segments 152 (e.g., 1-8) and rearranges the data
blocks of the data segments into rows and columns in accordance
with de-segmenting information of control information 190 to
produce a data partition 120. Note that the number of rows is based
on the decode threshold (e.g., 3 in this specific example) and the
number of columns is based on the number and size of the data
blocks.
[0155] The de-segmenting module 210 converts the rows and columns
of data blocks into the data partition 120. Note that each data
block may be of the same size as other data blocks or of a
different size. In addition, the size of each data block may be a
few bytes to megabytes of data.
[0156] FIG. 19 is a diagram of an example of converting slice
groups into data 92 within an inbound distributed storage and task
(DST) processing section. As shown, the data 92 is reconstructed
from a plurality of data partitions (1-x, where x is an integer
greater than 4). Each data partition (or chunk set of data) is
decoded and re-grouped using a de-grouping and decoding function
212 and a de-partition function 214 from slice groupings as
previously discussed. For a given data partition, the slice
groupings (e.g., at least a decode threshold per data segment of
encoded data slices) are received from DST execution units. From
data partition to data partition, the ordering of the slice
groupings received from the DST execution units may vary as
discussed with reference to FIG. 10.
[0157] FIG. 20 is a diagram of an example of a distributed storage
and/or retrieval within the distributed computing system. The
distributed computing system includes a plurality of distributed
storage and/or task (DST) processing client modules 34 (one shown)
coupled to a distributed storage and/or task processing network
(DSTN) module, or multiple DSTN modules, via a network 24. The DST
client module 34 includes an outbound DST processing section 80 and
an inbound DST processing section 82. The DSTN module includes a
plurality of DST execution units. Each DST execution unit includes
a controller 86, memory 88, one or more distributed task (DT)
execution modules 90, and a DST client module 34.
[0158] In an example of data storage, the DST client module 34 has
data 92 that it desires to store in the DSTN module. The data 92
may be a file (e.g., video, audio, text, graphics, etc.), a data
object, a data block, an update to a file, an update to a data
block, etc. In this instance, the outbound DST processing module 80
converts the data 92 into encoded data slices 216 as will be
further described with reference to FIGS. 21-23. The outbound DST
processing module 80 sends, via the network 24, to the DST
execution units for storage as further described with reference to
FIG. 24.
[0159] In an example of data retrieval, the DST client module 34
issues a retrieve request to the DST execution units for the
desired data 92. The retrieve request may address each DST
executions units storing encoded data slices of the desired data,
address a decode threshold number of DST execution units, address a
read threshold number of DST execution units, or address some other
number of DST execution units. In response to the request, each
addressed DST execution unit retrieves its encoded data slices 100
of the desired data and sends them to the inbound DST processing
section 82, via the network 24.
[0160] When, for each data segment, the inbound DST processing
section 82 receives at least a decode threshold number of encoded
data slices 100, it converts the encoded data slices 100 into a
data segment. The inbound DST processing section 82 aggregates the
data segments to produce the retrieved data 92.
[0161] FIG. 21 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an
outbound distributed storage and/or task (DST) processing section
80 of a DST client module coupled to a distributed storage and task
network (DSTN) module (e.g., a plurality of DST execution units)
via a network 24. The outbound DST processing section 80 includes a
data partitioning module 110, a dispersed storage (DS) error
encoding module 112, a grouping selector module 114, a control
module 116, and a distributed task control module 118.
[0162] In an example of operation, the data partitioning module 110
is by-passed such that data 92 is provided directly to the DS error
encoding module 112. The control module 116 coordinates the
by-passing of the data partitioning module 110 by outputting a
bypass 220 message to the data partitioning module 110.
[0163] The DS error encoding module 112 receives the data 92 in a
serial manner, a parallel manner, and/or a combination thereof. The
DS error encoding module 112 DS error encodes the data in
accordance with control information 160 from the control module 116
to produce encoded data slices 218. The DS error encoding includes
segmenting the data 92 into data segments, segment security
processing (e.g., encryption, compression, watermarking, integrity
check (e.g., CRC, etc.)), error encoding, slicing, and/or per slice
security processing (e.g., encryption, compression, watermarking,
integrity check (e.g., CRC, etc.)). The control information 160
indicates which steps of the DS error encoding are active for the
data 92 and, for active steps, indicates the parameters for the
step. For example, the control information 160 indicates that the
error encoding is active and includes error encoding parameters
(e.g., pillar width, decode threshold, write threshold, read
threshold, type of error encoding, etc.).
[0164] The grouping selector module 114 groups the encoded slices
218 of the data segments into pillars of slices 216. The number of
pillars corresponds to the pillar width of the DS error encoding
parameters. In this example, the distributed task control module
118 facilitates the storage request.
[0165] FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
dispersed storage (DS) error encoding module 112 for the example of
FIG. 21. The DS error encoding module 112 includes a segment
processing module 142, a segment security processing module 144, an
error encoding module 146, a slicing module 148, and a per slice
security processing module 150. Each of these modules is coupled to
a control module 116 to receive control information 160
therefrom.
[0166] In an example of operation, the segment processing module
142 receives data 92 and receives segmenting information as control
information 160 from the control module 116. The segmenting
information indicates how the segment processing module is to
segment the data. For example, the segmenting information indicates
the size of each data segment. The segment processing module 142
segments the data 92 into data segments 152 in accordance with the
segmenting information.
[0167] The segment security processing module 144, when enabled by
the control module 116, secures the data segments 152 based on
segment security information received as control information 160
from the control module 116. The segment security information
includes data compression, encryption, watermarking, integrity
check (e.g., CRC, etc.), and/or any other type of digital security.
For example, when the segment security processing module 144 is
enabled, it compresses a data segment 152, encrypts the compressed
data segment, and generates a CRC value for the encrypted data
segment to produce a secure data segment. When the segment security
processing module 144 is not enabled, it passes the data segments
152 to the error encoding module 146 or is bypassed such that the
data segments 152 are provided to the error encoding module
146.
[0168] The error encoding module 146 encodes the secure data
segments in accordance with error correction encoding parameters
received as control information 160 from the control module 116.
The error correction encoding parameters include identifying an
error correction encoding scheme (e.g., forward error correction
algorithm, a Reed-Solomon based algorithm, an information dispersal
algorithm, etc.), a pillar width, a decode threshold, a read
threshold, a write threshold, etc. For example, the error
correction encoding parameters identify a specific error correction
encoding scheme, specifies a pillar width of five, and specifies a
decode threshold of three. From these parameters, the error
encoding module 146 encodes a data segment to produce an encoded
data segment.
[0169] The slicing module 148 slices the encoded data segment in
accordance with a pillar width of the error correction encoding
parameters. For example, if the pillar width is five, the slicing
module slices an encoded data segment into a set of five encoded
data slices. As such, for a plurality of data segments, the slicing
module 148 outputs a plurality of sets of encoded data slices as
shown within encoding and slicing function 222 as described.
[0170] The per slice security processing module 150, when enabled
by the control module 116, secures each encoded data slice based on
slice security information received as control information 160 from
the control module 116. The slice security information includes
data compression, encryption, watermarking, integrity check (e.g.,
CRC, etc.), and/or any other type of digital security. For example,
when the per slice security processing module 150 is enabled, it
may compress an encoded data slice, encrypt the compressed encoded
data slice, and generate a CRC value for the encrypted encoded data
slice to produce a secure encoded data slice tweaking. When the per
slice security processing module 150 is not enabled, it passes the
encoded data slices or is bypassed such that the encoded data
slices 218 are the output of the DS error encoding module 112.
[0171] FIG. 23 is a diagram of an example of converting data 92
into pillar slice groups utilizing encoding, slicing and pillar
grouping function 224 for storage in memory of a distributed
storage and task network (DSTN) module. As previously discussed the
data 92 is encoded and sliced into a plurality of sets of encoded
data slices; one set per data segment. The grouping selection
module organizes the sets of encoded data slices into pillars of
data slices. In this example, the DS error encoding parameters
include a pillar width of 5 and a decode threshold of 3. As such,
for each data segment, 5 encoded data slices are created.
[0172] The grouping selection module takes the first encoded data
slice of each of the sets and forms a first pillar, which may be
sent to the first DST execution unit. Similarly, the grouping
selection module creates the second pillar from the second slices
of the sets; the third pillar from the third slices of the sets;
the fourth pillar from the fourth slices of the sets; and the fifth
pillar from the fifth slices of the set.
[0173] FIG. 24 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
distributed storage and/or task (DST) execution unit that includes
an interface 169, a controller 86, memory 88, one or more
distributed task (DT) execution modules 90, and a DST client module
34. A computing core 26 may be utilized to implement the one or
more DT execution modules 90 and the DST client module 34. The
memory 88 is of sufficient size to store a significant number of
encoded data slices (e.g., thousands of slices to
hundreds-of-millions of slices) and may include one or more hard
drives and/or one or more solid-state memory devices (e.g., flash
memory, DRAM, etc.).
[0174] In an example of storing a pillar of slices 216, the DST
execution unit receives, via interface 169, a pillar of slices 216
(e.g., pillar #1 slices). The memory 88 stores the encoded data
slices 216 of the pillar of slices in accordance with memory
control information 174 it receives from the controller 86. The
controller 86 (e.g., a processing module, a CPU, etc.) generates
the memory control information 174 based on distributed storage
information (e.g., user information (e.g., user ID, distributed
storage permissions, data access permission, etc.), vault
information (e.g., virtual memory assigned to user, user group,
etc.), etc.). Similarly, when retrieving slices, the DST execution
unit receives, via interface 169, a slice retrieval request. The
memory 88 retrieves the slice in accordance with memory control
information 174 it receives from the controller 86. The memory 88
outputs the slice 100, via the interface 169, to a requesting
entity.
[0175] FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of an example of
operation of an inbound distributed storage and/or task (DST)
processing section 82 for retrieving dispersed error encoded data
92. The inbound DST processing section 82 includes a de-grouping
module 180, a dispersed storage (DS) error decoding module 182, a
data de-partitioning module 184, a control module 186, and a
distributed task control module 188. Note that the control module
186 and/or the distributed task control module 188 may be separate
modules from corresponding ones of an outbound DST processing
section or may be the same modules.
[0176] In an example of operation, the inbound DST processing
section 82 is retrieving stored data 92 from the DST execution
units (i.e., the DSTN module). In this example, the DST execution
units output encoded data slices corresponding to data retrieval
requests from the distributed task control module 188. The
de-grouping module 180 receives pillars of slices 100 and de-groups
them in accordance with control information 190 from the control
module 186 to produce sets of encoded data slices 218. The DS error
decoding module 182 decodes, in accordance with the DS error
encoding parameters received as control information 190 from the
control module 186, each set of encoded data slices 218 to produce
data segments, which are aggregated into retrieved data 92. The
data de-partitioning module 184 is by-passed in this operational
mode via a bypass signal 226 of control information 190 from the
control module 186.
[0177] FIG. 26 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
dispersed storage (DS) error decoding module 182 of an inbound
distributed storage and task (DST) processing section. The DS error
decoding module 182 includes an inverse per slice security
processing module 202, a de-slicing module 204, an error decoding
module 206, an inverse segment security module 208, and a
de-segmenting processing module 210. The dispersed error decoding
module 182 is operable to de-slice and decode encoded slices per
data segment 218 utilizing a de-slicing and decoding function 228
to produce a plurality of data segments that are de-segmented
utilizing a de-segment function 230 to recover data 92.
[0178] In an example of operation, the inverse per slice security
processing module 202, when enabled by the control module 186 via
control information 190, unsecures each encoded data slice 218
based on slice de-security information (e.g., the compliment of the
slice security information discussed with reference to FIG. 6)
received as control information 190 from the control module 186.
The slice de-security information includes data decompression,
decryption, de-watermarking, integrity check (e.g., CRC
verification, etc.), and/or any other type of digital security. For
example, when the inverse per slice security processing module 202
is enabled, it verifies integrity information (e.g., a CRC value)
of each encoded data slice 218, it decrypts each verified encoded
data slice, and decompresses each decrypted encoded data slice to
produce slice encoded data. When the inverse per slice security
processing module 202 is not enabled, it passes the encoded data
slices 218 as the sliced encoded data or is bypassed such that the
retrieved encoded data slices 218 are provided as the sliced
encoded data.
[0179] The de-slicing module 204 de-slices the sliced encoded data
into encoded data segments in accordance with a pillar width of the
error correction encoding parameters received as control
information 190 from a control module 186. For example, if the
pillar width is five, the de-slicing module de-slices a set of five
encoded data slices into an encoded data segment. Alternatively,
the encoded data segment may include just three encoded data slices
(e.g., when the decode threshold is 3).
[0180] The error decoding module 206 decodes the encoded data
segments in accordance with error correction decoding parameters
received as control information 190 from the control module 186 to
produce secure data segments. The error correction decoding
parameters include identifying an error correction encoding scheme
(e.g., forward error correction algorithm, a Reed-Solomon based
algorithm, an information dispersal algorithm, etc.), a pillar
width, a decode threshold, a read threshold, a write threshold,
etc. For example, the error correction decoding parameters identify
a specific error correction encoding scheme, specify a pillar width
of five, and specify a decode threshold of three.
[0181] The inverse segment security processing module 208, when
enabled by the control module 186, unsecures the secured data
segments based on segment security information received as control
information 190 from the control module 186. The segment security
information includes data decompression, decryption,
de-watermarking, integrity check (e.g., CRC, etc.) verification,
and/or any other type of digital security. For example, when the
inverse segment security processing module is enabled, it verifies
integrity information (e.g., a CRC value) of each secure data
segment, it decrypts each verified secured data segment, and
decompresses each decrypted secure data segment to produce a data
segment 152. When the inverse segment security processing module
208 is not enabled, it passes the decoded data segment 152 as the
data segment or is bypassed. The de-segmenting processing module
210 aggregates the data segments 152 into the data 92 in accordance
with control information 190 from the control module 186.
[0182] FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
distributed storage and task processing network (DSTN) module that
includes a plurality of distributed storage and task (DST)
execution units (#1 through #n, where, for example, n is an integer
greater than or equal to three). Each of the DST execution units
includes a DST client module 34, a controller 86, one or more DT
(distributed task) execution modules 90, and memory 88.
[0183] In this example, the DSTN module stores, in the memory of
the DST execution units, a plurality of DS (dispersed storage)
encoded data (e.g., 1 through n, where n is an integer greater than
or equal to two) and stores a plurality of DS encoded task codes
(e.g., 1 through k, where k is an integer greater than or equal to
two). The DS encoded data may be encoded in accordance with one or
more examples described with reference to FIGS. 3-19 (e.g.,
organized in slice groupings) or encoded in accordance with one or
more examples described with reference to FIGS. 20-26 (e.g.,
organized in pillar groups). The data that is encoded into the DS
encoded data may be of any size and/or of any content. For example,
the data may be one or more digital books, a copy of a company's
emails, a large-scale Internet search, a video security file, one
or more entertainment video files (e.g., television programs,
movies, etc.), data files, and/or any other large amount of data
(e.g., greater than a few Terabytes).
[0184] The tasks that are encoded into the DS encoded task code may
be a simple function (e.g., a mathematical function, a logic
function, an identify function, a find function, a search engine
function, a replace function, etc.), a complex function (e.g.,
compression, human and/or computer language translation,
text-to-voice conversion, voice-to-text conversion, etc.), multiple
simple and/or complex functions, one or more algorithms, one or
more applications, etc. The tasks may be encoded into the DS
encoded task code in accordance with one or more examples described
with reference to FIGS. 3-19 (e.g., organized in slice groupings)
or encoded in accordance with one or more examples described with
reference to FIGS. 20-26 (e.g., organized in pillar groups).
[0185] In an example of operation, a DST client module of a user
device or of a DST processing unit issues a DST request to the DSTN
module. The DST request may include a request to retrieve stored
data, or a portion thereof, may include a request to store data
that is included with the DST request, may include a request to
perform one or more tasks on stored data, may include a request to
perform one or more tasks on data included with the DST request,
etc. In the cases where the DST request includes a request to store
data or to retrieve data, the client module and/or the DSTN module
processes the request as previously discussed with reference to one
or more of FIGS. 3-19 (e.g., slice groupings) and/or 20-26 (e.g.,
pillar groupings). In the case where the DST request includes a
request to perform one or more tasks on data included with the DST
request, the DST client module and/or the DSTN module process the
DST request as previously discussed with reference to one or more
of FIGS. 3-19.
[0186] In the case where the DST request includes a request to
perform one or more tasks on stored data, the DST client module
and/or the DSTN module processes the DST request as will be
described with reference to one or more of FIGS. 28-39. In general,
the DST client module identifies data and one or more tasks for the
DSTN module to execute upon the identified data. The DST request
may be for a one-time execution of the task or for an on-going
execution of the task. As an example of the latter, as a company
generates daily emails, the DST request may be to daily search new
emails for inappropriate content and, if found, record the content,
the email sender(s), the email recipient(s), email routing
information, notify human resources of the identified email,
etc.
[0187] FIG. 28 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
distributed computing system performing tasks on stored data. In
this example, two distributed storage and task (DST) client modules
1-2 are shown: the first may be associated with a user device and
the second may be associated with a DST processing unit or a high
priority user device (e.g., high priority clearance user, system
administrator, etc.). Each DST client module includes a list of
stored data 234 and a list of tasks codes 236. The list of stored
data 234 includes one or more entries of data identifying
information, where each entry identifies data stored in the DSTN
module 22. The data identifying information (e.g., data ID)
includes one or more of a data file name, a data file directory
listing, DSTN addressing information of the data, a data object
identifier, etc. The list of tasks 236 includes one or more entries
of task code identifying information, when each entry identifies
task codes stored in the DSTN module 22. The task code identifying
information (e.g., task ID) includes one or more of a task file
name, a task file directory listing, DSTN addressing information of
the task, another type of identifier to identify the task, etc.
[0188] As shown, the list of data 234 and the list of tasks 236 are
each smaller in number of entries for the first DST client module
than the corresponding lists of the second DST client module. This
may occur because the user device associated with the first DST
client module has fewer privileges in the distributed computing
system than the device associated with the second DST client
module. Alternatively, this may occur because the user device
associated with the first DST client module serves fewer users than
the device associated with the second DST client module and is
restricted by the distributed computing system accordingly. As yet
another alternative, this may occur through no restraints by the
distributed computing system, it just occurred because the operator
of the user device associated with the first DST client module has
selected fewer data and/or fewer tasks than the operator of the
device associated with the second DST client module.
[0189] In an example of operation, the first DST client module
selects one or more data entries 238 and one or more tasks 240 from
its respective lists (e.g., selected data ID and selected task ID).
The first DST client module sends its selections to a task
distribution module 232. The task distribution module 232 may be
within a stand-alone device of the distributed computing system,
may be within the user device that contains the first DST client
module, or may be within the DSTN module 22.
[0190] Regardless of the task distributions modules location, it
generates DST allocation information 242 from the selected task ID
240 and the selected data ID 238. The DST allocation information
242 includes data partitioning information, task execution
information, and/or intermediate result information. The task
distribution module 232 sends the DST allocation information 242 to
the DSTN module 22. Note that one or more examples of the DST
allocation information will be discussed with reference to one or
more of FIGS. 29-39.
[0191] The DSTN module 22 interprets the DST allocation information
242 to identify the stored DS encoded data (e.g., DS error encoded
data 2) and to identify the stored DS error encoded task code
(e.g., DS error encoded task code 1). In addition, the DSTN module
22 interprets the DST allocation information 242 to determine how
the data is to be partitioned and how the task is to be
partitioned. The DSTN module 22 also determines whether the
selected DS error encoded data 238 needs to be converted from
pillar grouping to slice grouping. If so, the DSTN module 22
converts the selected DS error encoded data into slice groupings
and stores the slice grouping DS error encoded data by overwriting
the pillar grouping DS error encoded data or by storing it in a
different location in the memory of the DSTN module 22 (i.e., does
not overwrite the pillar grouping DS encoded data).
[0192] The DSTN module 22 partitions the data and the task as
indicated in the DST allocation information 242 and sends the
portions to selected DST execution units of the DSTN module 22.
Each of the selected DST execution units performs its partial
task(s) on its slice groupings to produce partial results. The DSTN
module 22 collects the partial results from the selected DST
execution units and provides them, as result information 244, to
the task distribution module. The result information 244 may be the
collected partial results, one or more final results as produced by
the DSTN module 22 from processing the partial results in
accordance with the DST allocation information 242, or one or more
intermediate results as produced by the DSTN module 22 from
processing the partial results in accordance with the DST
allocation information 242.
[0193] The task distribution module 232 receives the result
information 244 and provides one or more final results 104
therefrom to the first DST client module. The final result(s) 104
may be result information 244 or a result(s) of the task
distribution module's processing of the result information 244.
[0194] In concurrence with processing the selected task of the
first DST client module, the distributed computing system may
process the selected task(s) of the second DST client module on the
selected data(s) of the second DST client module. Alternatively,
the distributed computing system may process the second DST client
module's request subsequent to, or preceding, that of the first DST
client module. Regardless of the ordering and/or parallel
processing of the DST client module requests, the second DST client
module provides its selected data 238 and selected task 240 to a
task distribution module 232. If the task distribution module 232
is a separate device of the distributed computing system or within
the DSTN module, the task distribution modules 232 coupled to the
first and second DST client modules may be the same module. The
task distribution module 232 processes the request of the second
DST client module in a similar manner as it processed the request
of the first DST client module.
[0195] FIG. 29 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a
task distribution module 232 facilitating the example of FIG. 28.
The task distribution module 232 includes a plurality of tables it
uses to generate distributed storage and task (DST) allocation
information 242 for selected data and selected tasks received from
a DST client module. The tables include data storage information
248, task storage information 250, distributed task (DT) execution
module information 252, and task <=> sub-task mapping
information 246.
[0196] The data storage information table 248 includes a data
identification (ID) field 260, a data size field 262, an addressing
information field 264, distributed storage (DS) information 266,
and may further include other information regarding the data, how
it is stored, and/or how it can be processed. For example, DS
encoded data #1 has a data ID of 1, a data size of AA (e.g., a byte
size of a few Terabytes or more), addressing information of
Addr.sub.--1_AA, and DS parameters of 3/5; SEG.sub.--1; and
SLC.sub.--1. In this example, the addressing information may be a
virtual address corresponding to the virtual address of the first
storage word (e.g., one or more bytes) of the data and information
on how to calculate the other addresses, may be a range of virtual
addresses for the storage words of the data, physical addresses of
the first storage word or the storage words of the data, may be a
list of slice names of the encoded data slices of the data, etc.
The DS parameters may include identity of an error encoding scheme,
decode threshold/pillar width (e.g., 3/5 for the first data entry),
segment security information (e.g., SEG.sub.--1), per slice
security information (e.g., SLC.sub.--1), and/or any other
information regarding how the data was encoded into data
slices.
[0197] The task storage information table 250 includes a task
identification (ID) field 268, a task size field 270, an addressing
information field 272, distributed storage (DS) information 274,
and may further include other information regarding the task, how
it is stored, and/or how it can be used to process data. For
example, DS encoded task #2 has a task ID of 2, a task size of XY,
addressing information of Addr.sub.--2_XY, and DS parameters of
3/5; SEG.sub.--2; and SLC.sub.--2. In this example, the addressing
information may be a virtual address corresponding to the virtual
address of the first storage word (e.g., one or more bytes) of the
task and information on how to calculate the other addresses, may
be a range of virtual addresses for the storage words of the task,
physical addresses of the first storage word or the storage words
of the task, may be a list of slices names of the encoded slices of
the task code, etc. The DS parameters may include identity of an
error encoding scheme, decode threshold/pillar width (e.g., 3/5 for
the first data entry), segment security information (e.g.,
SEG.sub.--2), per slice security information (e.g., SLC.sub.--2),
and/or any other information regarding how the task was encoded
into encoded task slices. Note that the segment and/or the
per-slice security information include a type of encryption (if
enabled), a type of compression (if enabled), watermarking
information (if enabled), and/or an integrity check scheme (if
enabled).
[0198] The task <=> sub-task mapping information table 246
includes a task field 256 and a sub-task field 258. The task field
256 identifies a task stored in the memory of a distributed storage
and task network (DSTN) module and the corresponding sub-task
fields 258 indicates whether the task includes sub-tasks and, if
so, how many and if any of the sub-tasks are ordered. In this
example, the task <=> sub-task mapping information table 246
includes an entry for each task stored in memory of the DSTN module
(e.g., task 1 through task k). In particular, this example
indicates that task 1 includes 7 sub-tasks; task 2 does not include
sub-tasks, and task k includes r number of sub-tasks (where r is an
integer greater than or equal to two).
[0199] The DT execution module table 252 includes a DST execution
unit ID field 276, a DT execution module ID field 278, and a DT
execution module capabilities field 280. The DST execution unit ID
field 276 includes the identity of DST units in the DSTN module.
The DT execution module ID field 278 includes the identity of each
DT execution unit in each DST unit. For example, DST unit 1
includes three DT executions modules (e.g., 1.sub.--1, 1.sub.--2,
and 1.sub.--3). The DT execution capabilities field 280 includes
identity of the capabilities of the corresponding DT execution
unit. For example, DT execution module 1.sub.--1 includes
capabilities X, where X includes one or more of MIPS capabilities,
processing resources (e.g., quantity and capability of
microprocessors, CPUs, digital signal processors, co-processor,
microcontrollers, arithmetic logic circuitry, and/or any other
analog and/or digital processing circuitry), availability of the
processing resources, memory information (e.g., type, size,
availability, etc.), and/or any information germane to executing
one or more tasks.
[0200] From these tables, the task distribution module 232
generates the DST allocation information 242 to indicate where the
data is stored, how to partition the data, where the task is
stored, how to partition the task, which DT execution units should
perform which partial task on which data partitions, where and how
intermediate results are to be stored, etc. If multiple tasks are
being performed on the same data or different data, the task
distribution module factors such information into its generation of
the DST allocation information.
[0201] FIG. 30 is a diagram of a specific example of a distributed
computing system performing tasks on stored data as a task flow
318. In this example, selected data 92 is data 2 and selected tasks
are tasks 1, 2, and 3. Task 1 corresponds to analyzing translation
of data from one language to another (e.g., human language or
computer language); task 2 corresponds to finding specific words
and/or phrases in the data; and task 3 corresponds to finding
specific translated words and/or phrases in translated data.
[0202] In this example, task 1 includes 7 sub-tasks: task
1.sub.--1--identify non-words (non-ordered); task
1.sub.--2--identify unique words (non-ordered); task
1.sub.--3--translate (non-ordered); task 1.sub.--4--translate back
(ordered after task 1.sub.--3); task 1.sub.--5--compare to ID
errors (ordered after task 1-4); task 1.sub.--6--determine non-word
translation errors (ordered after task 1.sub.--5 and 1.sub.--1);
and task 1.sub.--7--determine correct translations (ordered after
1.sub.--5 and 1.sub.--2). The sub-task further indicates whether
they are an ordered task (i.e., are dependent on the outcome of
another task) or non-order (i.e., are independent of the outcome of
another task). Task 2 does not include sub-tasks and task 3
includes two sub-tasks: task 3.sub.--1 translate; and task
3.sub.--2 find specific word or phrase in translated data.
[0203] In general, the three tasks collectively are selected to
analyze data for translation accuracies, translation errors,
translation anomalies, occurrence of specific words or phrases in
the data, and occurrence of specific words or phrases on the
translated data. Graphically, the data 92 is translated 306 into
translated data 282; is analyzed for specific words and/or phrases
300 to produce a list of specific words and/or phrases 286; is
analyzed for non-words 302 (e.g., not in a reference dictionary) to
produce a list of non-words 290; and is analyzed for unique words
316 included in the data 92 (i.e., how many different words are
included in the data) to produce a list of unique words 298. Each
of these tasks is independent of each other and can therefore be
processed in parallel if desired.
[0204] The translated data 282 is analyzed (e.g., sub-task
3.sub.--2) for specific translated words and/or phrases 304 to
produce a list of specific translated words and/or phrases. The
translated data 282 is translated back 308 (e.g., sub-task
1.sub.--4) into the language of the original data to produce
re-translated data 284. These two tasks are dependent on the
translate task (e.g., task 1.sub.--3) and thus must be ordered
after the translation task, which may be in a pipelined ordering or
a serial ordering. The re-translated data 284 is then compared 310
with the original data 92 to find words and/or phrases that did not
translate (one way and/or the other) properly to produce a list of
incorrectly translated words 294. As such, the comparing task
(e.g., sub-task 1.sub.--5) 310 is ordered after the translation 306
and re-translation tasks 308 (e.g., sub-tasks 1.sub.--3 and
1.sub.--4).
[0205] The list of words incorrectly translated 294 is compared 312
to the list of non-words 290 to identify words that were not
properly translated because the words are non-words to produce a
list of errors due to non-words 292. In addition, the list of words
incorrectly translated 294 is compared 314 to the list of unique
words 298 to identify unique words that were properly translated to
produce a list of correctly translated words 296. The comparison
may also identify unique words that were not properly translated to
produce a list of unique words that were not properly translated.
Note that each list of words (e.g., specific words and/or phrases,
non-words, unique words, translated words and/or phrases, etc.,)
may include the word and/or phrase, how many times it is used,
where in the data it is used, and/or any other information
requested regarding a word and/or phrase.
[0206] FIG. 31 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a
distributed storage and task processing network (DSTN) module
storing data and task codes for the example of FIG. 30. As shown,
DS encoded data 2 is stored as encoded data slices across the
memory (e.g., stored in memories 88) of DST execution units 1-5;
the DS encoded task code 1 (of task 1) and DS encoded task 3 are
stored as encoded task slices across the memory of DST execution
units 1-5; and DS encoded task code 2 (of task 2) is stored as
encoded task slices across the memory of DST execution units 3-7.
As indicated in the data storage information table and the task
storage information table of FIG. 29, the respective data/task has
DS parameters of 3/5 for their decode threshold/pillar width; hence
spanning the memory of five DST execution units.
[0207] FIG. 32 is a diagram of an example of distributed storage
and task (DST) allocation information 242 for the example of FIG.
30. The DST allocation information 242 includes data partitioning
information 320, task execution information 322, and intermediate
result information 324. The data partitioning information 320
includes the data identifier (ID), the number of partitions to
split the data into, address information for each data partition,
and whether the DS encoded data has to be transformed from pillar
grouping to slice grouping. The task execution information 322
includes tabular information having a task identification field
326, a task ordering field 328, a data partition field ID 330, and
a set of DT execution modules 332 to use for the distributed task
processing per data partition. The intermediate result information
324 includes tabular information having a name ID field 334, an ID
of the DST execution unit assigned to process the corresponding
intermediate result 336, a scratch pad storage field 338, and an
intermediate result storage field 340.
[0208] Continuing with the example of FIG. 30, where tasks 1-3 are
to be distributedly performed on data 2, the data partitioning
information includes the ID of data 2. In addition, the task
distribution module determines whether the DS encoded data 2 is in
the proper format for distributed computing (e.g., was stored as
slice groupings). If not, the task distribution module indicates
that the DS encoded data 2 format needs to be changed from the
pillar grouping format to the slice grouping format, which will be
done the by DSTN module. In addition, the task distribution module
determines the number of partitions to divide the data into (e.g.,
2.sub.--1 through 2_z) and addressing information for each
partition.
[0209] The task distribution module generates an entry in the task
execution information section for each sub-task to be performed.
For example, task 1.sub.--1 (e.g., identify non-words on the data)
has no task ordering (i.e., is independent of the results of other
sub-tasks), is to be performed on data partitions 2.sub.--1 through
2_z by DT execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1,
4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1. For instance, DT execution modules
1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1 search
for non-words in data partitions 2.sub.--1 through 2_z to produce
task 1.sub.--1 intermediate results (R1-1, which is a list of
non-words). Task 1.sub.--2 (e.g., identify unique words) has
similar task execution information as task 1.sub.--1 to produce
task 1.sub.--2 intermediate results (R1-2, which is the list of
unique words).
[0210] Task 1.sub.--3 (e.g., translate) includes task execution
information as being non-ordered (i.e., is independent), having DT
execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and
5.sub.--1 translate data partitions 2.sub.--1 through 2.sub.--4 and
having DT execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 3.sub.--2,
4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2 translate data partitions 2.sub.--5
through 2_z to produce task 1.sub.--3 intermediate results (R1-3,
which is the translated data). In this example, the data partitions
are grouped, where different sets of DT execution modules perform a
distributed sub-task (or task) on each data partition group, which
allows for further parallel processing.
[0211] Task 1.sub.--4 (e.g., translate back) is ordered after task
1.sub.--3 and is to be executed on task 1.sub.--3's intermediate
result (e.g., R1-3.sub.--1) (e.g., the translated data). DT
execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and
5.sub.--1 are allocated to translate back task 1.sub.--3
intermediate result partitions R1-3.sub.--1 through R1-3.sub.--4
and DT execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 6.sub.--1,
7.sub.--1, and 7.sub.--2 are allocated to translate back task
1.sub.--3 intermediate result partitions R1-3.sub.--5 through
R1-3_z to produce task 1-4 intermediate results (R1-4, which is the
translated back data).
[0212] Task 1.sub.--5 (e.g., compare data and translated data to
identify translation errors) is ordered after task 1.sub.--4 and is
to be executed on task 1.sub.--4's intermediate results (R4-1) and
on the data. DT execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1,
4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1 are allocated to compare the data
partitions (2.sub.--1 through 2_z) with partitions of task 1-4
intermediate results partitions R1-4.sub.--1 through R1-4_z to
produce task 1.sub.--5 intermediate results (R1-5, which is the
list words translated incorrectly).
[0213] Task 1.sub.--6 (e.g., determine non-word translation errors)
is ordered after tasks 1.sub.--1 and 1.sub.--5 and is to be
executed on tasks 1.sub.--1's and 1.sub.--5's intermediate results
(R1-1 and R1-5). DT execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1,
3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1 are allocated to compare the
partitions of task 1.sub.--1 intermediate results (R1-1.sub.--1
through R1-1_z) with partitions of task 1-5 intermediate results
partitions (R1-5.sub.--1 through R1-5_z) to produce task 1.sub.--6
intermediate results (R1-6, which is the list translation errors
due to non-words).
[0214] Task 1.sub.--7 (e.g., determine words correctly translated)
is ordered after tasks 1.sub.--2 and 1.sub.--5 and is to be
executed on tasks 1.sub.--2's and 1.sub.--5's intermediate results
(R1-1 and R1-5). DT execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2,
3.sub.--2, 4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2 are allocated to compare the
partitions of task 1.sub.--2 intermediate results (R1-2.sub.--1
through R1-2_z) with partitions of task 1-5 intermediate results
partitions (R1-5.sub.--1 through R1-5_z) to produce task 1.sub.--7
intermediate results (R1-7, which is the list of correctly
translated words).
[0215] Task 2 (e.g., find specific words and/or phrases) has no
task ordering (i.e., is independent of the results of other
sub-tasks), is to be performed on data partitions 2.sub.--1 through
2_z by DT execution modules 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, 5.sub.--1,
6.sub.--1, and 7.sub.--1. For instance, DT execution modules
3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, 5.sub.--1, 6.sub.--1, and 7.sub.--1 search
for specific words and/or phrases in data partitions 2.sub.--1
through 2_z to produce task 2 intermediate results (R2, which is a
list of specific words and/or phrases).
[0216] Task 3.sub.--2 (e.g., find specific translated words and/or
phrases) is ordered after task 1.sub.--3 (e.g., translate) is to be
performed on partitions R1-3.sub.--1 through R1-3_z by DT execution
modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 3.sub.--2, 4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2.
For instance, DT execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 3.sub.--2,
4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2 search for specific translated words
and/or phrases in the partitions of the translated data
(R1-3.sub.--1 through R1-3_z) to produce task 3.sub.--2
intermediate results (R3-2, which is a list of specific translated
words and/or phrases).
[0217] For each task, the intermediate result information indicates
which DST unit is responsible for overseeing execution of the task
and, if needed, processing the partial results generated by the set
of allocated DT execution units. In addition, the intermediate
result information indicates a scratch pad memory for the task and
where the corresponding intermediate results are to be stored. For
example, for intermediate result R1-1 (the intermediate result of
task 1.sub.--1), DST unit 1 is responsible for overseeing execution
of the task 1.sub.--1 and coordinates storage of the intermediate
result as encoded intermediate result slices stored in memory of
DST execution units 1-5. In general, the scratch pad is for storing
non-DS encoded intermediate results and the intermediate result
storage is for storing DS encoded intermediate results.
[0218] FIGS. 33-38 are schematic block diagrams of the distributed
storage and task network (DSTN) module performing the example of
FIG. 30. In FIG. 33, the DSTN module accesses the data 92 and
partitions it into a plurality of partitions 1-z in accordance with
distributed storage and task network (DST) allocation information.
For each data partition, the DSTN identifies a set of its DT
(distributed task) execution modules 90 to perform the task (e.g.,
identify non-words (i.e., not in a reference dictionary) within the
data partition) in accordance with the DST allocation information.
From data partition to data partition, the set of DT execution
modules 90 may be the same, different, or a combination thereof
(e.g., some data partitions use the same set while other data
partitions use different sets).
[0219] For the first data partition, the first set of DT execution
modules (e.g., 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and
5.sub.--1 per the DST allocation information of FIG. 32) executes
task 1.sub.--1 to produce a first partial result 102 of non-words
found in the first data partition. The second set of DT execution
modules (e.g., 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and
5.sub.--1 per the DST allocation information of FIG. 32) executes
task 1.sub.--1 to produce a second partial result 102 of non-words
found in the second data partition. The sets of DT execution
modules (as per the DST allocation information) perform task
1.sub.--1 on the data partitions until the "z" set of DT execution
modules performs task 1.sub.--1 on the "zth" data partition to
produce a "zth" partial result 102 of non-words found in the "zth"
data partition.
[0220] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 1 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results to produce the first intermediate result (R1-1),
which is a list of non-words found in the data. For instance, each
set of DT execution modules 90 stores its respective partial result
in the scratchpad memory of DST execution unit 1 (which is
identified in the DST allocation or may be determined by DST
execution unit 1). A processing module of DST execution 1 is
engaged to aggregate the first through "zth" partial results to
produce the first intermediate result (e.g., R1.sub.--1). The
processing module stores the first intermediate result as non-DS
error encoded data in the scratchpad memory or in another section
of memory of DST execution unit 1.
[0221] DST execution unit 1 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the first intermediate result (e.g.,
the list of non-words). To begin the encoding, the DST client
module determines whether the list of non-words is of a sufficient
size to partition (e.g., greater than a Terabytes). If yes, it
partitions the first intermediate result (R1-1) into a plurality of
partitions (e.g., R1-1.sub.--1 through R1-1_m). If the first
intermediate result is not of sufficient size to partition, it is
not partitioned.
[0222] For each partition of the first intermediate result, or for
the first intermediate result, the DST client module uses the DS
error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data
2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to
produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the
intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories
of DST execution units 1-5).
[0223] In FIG. 34, the DSTN module is performing task 1.sub.--2
(e.g., find unique words) on the data 92. To begin, the DSTN module
accesses the data 92 and partitions it into a plurality of
partitions 1-z in accordance with the DST allocation information or
it may use the data partitions of task 1.sub.--1 if the
partitioning is the same. For each data partition, the DSTN
identifies a set of its DT execution modules to perform task
1.sub.--2 in accordance with the DST allocation information. From
data partition to data partition, the set of DT execution modules
may be the same, different, or a combination thereof. For the data
partitions, the allocated set of DT execution modules executes task
1.sub.--2 to produce a partial results (e.g., 1.sup.st through
"zth") of unique words found in the data partitions.
[0224] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 1 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results 102 of task 1.sub.--2 to produce the second
intermediate result (R1-2), which is a list of unique words found
in the data 92. The processing module of DST execution 1 is engaged
to aggregate the first through "zth" partial results of unique
words to produce the second intermediate result. The processing
module stores the second intermediate result as non-DS error
encoded data in the scratchpad memory or in another section of
memory of DST execution unit 1.
[0225] DST execution unit 1 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the second intermediate result
(e.g., the list of non-words). To begin the encoding, the DST
client module determines whether the list of unique words is of a
sufficient size to partition (e.g., greater than a Terabytes). If
yes, it partitions the second intermediate result (R1-2) into a
plurality of partitions (e.g., R1-2.sub.--1 through R1-2_m). If the
second intermediate result is not of sufficient size to partition,
it is not partitioned.
[0226] For each partition of the second intermediate result, or for
the second intermediate results, the DST client module uses the DS
error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data
2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to
produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the
intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories
of DST execution units 1-5).
[0227] In FIG. 35, the DSTN module is performing task 1.sub.--3
(e.g., translate) on the data 92. To begin, the DSTN module
accesses the data 92 and partitions it into a plurality of
partitions 1-z in accordance with the DST allocation information or
it may use the data partitions of task 1.sub.--1 if the
partitioning is the same. For each data partition, the DSTN
identifies a set of its DT execution modules to perform task
1.sub.--3 in accordance with the DST allocation information (e.g.,
DT execution modules 1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1,
and 5.sub.--1 translate data partitions 2.sub.--1 through 2.sub.--4
and DT execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 3.sub.--2,
4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2 translate data partitions 2.sub.--5
through 2_z). For the data partitions, the allocated set of DT
execution modules 90 executes task 1.sub.--3 to produce partial
results 102 (e.g., 1.sup.st through "zth") of translated data.
[0228] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 2 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 1.sub.--3 to produce the third intermediate
result (R1-3), which is translated data. The processing module of
DST execution 2 is engaged to aggregate the first through "zth"
partial results of translated data to produce the third
intermediate result. The processing module stores the third
intermediate result as non-DS error encoded data in the scratchpad
memory or in another section of memory of DST execution unit 2.
[0229] DST execution unit 2 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the third intermediate result (e.g.,
translated data). To begin the encoding, the DST client module
partitions the third intermediate result (R1-3) into a plurality of
partitions (e.g., R1-3.sub.--1 through R1-3_y). For each partition
of the third intermediate result, the DST client module uses the DS
error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data
2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to
produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the
intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories
of DST execution units 2-6 per the DST allocation information).
[0230] As is further shown in FIG. 35, the DSTN module is
performing task 1.sub.--4 (e.g., retranslate) on the translated
data of the third intermediate result. To begin, the DSTN module
accesses the translated data (from the scratchpad memory or from
the intermediate result memory and decodes it) and partitions it
into a plurality of partitions in accordance with the DST
allocation information. For each partition of the third
intermediate result, the DSTN identifies a set of its DT execution
modules 90 to perform task 1.sub.--4 in accordance with the DST
allocation information (e.g., DT execution modules 1.sub.--1,
2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1 are allocated to
translate back partitions R1-3.sub.--1 through R1-3.sub.--4 and DT
execution modules 1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 6.sub.--1, 7.sub.--1, and
7.sub.--2 are allocated to translate back partitions R1-3.sub.--5
through R1-3_z). For the partitions, the allocated set of DT
execution modules executes task 1.sub.--4 to produce partial
results 102 (e.g., 1st through "zth") of re-translated data.
[0231] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 3 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 1.sub.--4 to produce the fourth
intermediate result (R1-4), which is retranslated data. The
processing module of DST execution 3 is engaged to aggregate the
first through "zth" partial results of retranslated data to produce
the fourth intermediate result. The processing module stores the
fourth intermediate result as non-DS error encoded data in the
scratchpad memory or in another section of memory of DST execution
unit 3.
[0232] DST execution unit 3 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the fourth intermediate result
(e.g., retranslated data). To begin the encoding, the DST client
module partitions the fourth intermediate result (R1-4) into a
plurality of partitions (e.g., R1-4.sub.--1 through R1-4_z). For
each partition of the fourth intermediate result, the DST client
module uses the DS error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS
parameters of data 2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar
width ratio) to produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are
stored in the intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in
the memories of DST execution units 3-7 per the DST allocation
information).
[0233] In FIG. 36, a distributed storage and task network (DSTN)
module is performing task 1.sub.--5 (e.g., compare) on data 92 and
retranslated data of FIG. 35. To begin, the DSTN module accesses
the data 92 and partitions it into a plurality of partitions in
accordance with the DST allocation information or it may use the
data partitions of task 1.sub.--1 if the partitioning is the same.
The DSTN module also accesses the retranslated data from the
scratchpad memory, or from the intermediate result memory and
decodes it, and partitions it into a plurality of partitions in
accordance with the DST allocation information. The number of
partitions of the retranslated data corresponds to the number of
partitions of the data.
[0234] For each pair of partitions (e.g., data partition 1 and
retranslated data partition 1), the DSTN identifies a set of its DT
execution modules 90 to perform task 1.sub.--5 in accordance with
the DST allocation information (e.g., DT execution modules
1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1). For
each pair of partitions, the allocated set of DT execution modules
executes task 1.sub.--5 to produce partial results 102 (e.g.,
1.sup.st through "zth") of a list of incorrectly translated words
and/or phrases.
[0235] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 1 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 1.sub.--5 to produce the fifth intermediate
result (R1-5), which is the list of incorrectly translated words
and/or phrases. In particular, the processing module of DST
execution 1 is engaged to aggregate the first through "zth" partial
results of the list of incorrectly translated words and/or phrases
to produce the fifth intermediate result. The processing module
stores the fifth intermediate result as non-DS error encoded data
in the scratchpad memory or in another section of memory of DST
execution unit 1.
[0236] DST execution unit 1 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the fifth intermediate result. To
begin the encoding, the DST client module partitions the fifth
intermediate result (R1-5) into a plurality of partitions (e.g.,
R1-5.sub.--1 through R1-5_z). For each partition of the fifth
intermediate result, the DST client module uses the DS error
encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data 2,
which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to produce
slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the intermediate
result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories of DST
execution units 1-5 per the DST allocation information).
[0237] As is further shown in FIG. 36, the DSTN module is
performing task 1.sub.--6 (e.g., translation errors due to
non-words) on the list of incorrectly translated words and/or
phrases (e.g., the fifth intermediate result R1-5) and the list of
non-words (e.g., the first intermediate result R1-1). To begin, the
DSTN module accesses the lists and partitions them into a
corresponding number of partitions.
[0238] For each pair of partitions (e.g., partition R1-1.sub.--1
and partition R1-5.sub.--1), the DSTN identifies a set of its DT
execution modules 90 to perform task 1.sub.--6 in accordance with
the DST allocation information (e.g., DT execution modules
1.sub.--1, 2.sub.--1, 3.sub.--1, 4.sub.--1, and 5.sub.--1). For
each pair of partitions, the allocated set of DT execution modules
executes task 1.sub.--6 to produce partial results 102 (e.g.,
1.sup.st through "zth") of a list of incorrectly translated words
and/or phrases due to non-words.
[0239] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 2 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 1.sub.--6 to produce the sixth intermediate
result (R1-6), which is the list of incorrectly translated words
and/or phrases due to non-words. In particular, the processing
module of DST execution 2 is engaged to aggregate the first through
"zth" partial results of the list of incorrectly translated words
and/or phrases due to non-words to produce the sixth intermediate
result. The processing module stores the sixth intermediate result
as non-DS error encoded data in the scratchpad memory or in another
section of memory of DST execution unit 2.
[0240] DST execution unit 2 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the sixth intermediate result. To
begin the encoding, the DST client module partitions the sixth
intermediate result (R1-6) into a plurality of partitions (e.g.,
R1-6.sub.--1 through R1-6_z). For each partition of the sixth
intermediate result, the DST client module uses the DS error
encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data 2,
which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to produce
slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the intermediate
result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories of DST
execution units 2-6 per the DST allocation information).
[0241] As is still further shown in FIG. 36, the DSTN module is
performing task 1.sub.--7 (e.g., correctly translated words and/or
phrases) on the list of incorrectly translated words and/or phrases
(e.g., the fifth intermediate result R1-5) and the list of unique
words (e.g., the second intermediate result R1-2). To begin, the
DSTN module accesses the lists and partitions them into a
corresponding number of partitions.
[0242] For each pair of partitions (e.g., partition R1-2.sub.--1
and partition R1-5.sub.--1), the DSTN identifies a set of its DT
execution modules 90 to perform task 1.sub.--7 in accordance with
the DST allocation information (e.g., DT execution modules
1.sub.--2, 2.sub.--2, 3.sub.--2, 4.sub.--2, and 5.sub.--2). For
each pair of partitions, the allocated set of DT execution modules
executes task 1.sub.--7 to produce partial results 102 (e.g.,
1.sup.st through "zth") of a list of correctly translated words
and/or phrases.
[0243] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 3 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 1.sub.--7 to produce the seventh
intermediate result (R1-7), which is the list of correctly
translated words and/or phrases. In particular, the processing
module of DST execution 3 is engaged to aggregate the first through
"zth" partial results of the list of correctly translated words
and/or phrases to produce the seventh intermediate result. The
processing module stores the seventh intermediate result as non-DS
error encoded data in the scratchpad memory or in another section
of memory of DST execution unit 3.
[0244] DST execution unit 3 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the seventh intermediate result. To
begin the encoding, the DST client module partitions the seventh
intermediate result (R1-7) into a plurality of partitions (e.g.,
R1-7.sub.--1 through R1-7_z). For each partition of the seventh
intermediate result, the DST client module uses the DS error
encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data 2,
which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to produce
slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the intermediate
result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories of DST
execution units 3-7 per the DST allocation information).
[0245] In FIG. 37, the distributed storage and task network (DSTN)
module is performing task 2 (e.g., find specific words and/or
phrases) on the data 92. To begin, the DSTN module accesses the
data and partitions it into a plurality of partitions 1-z in
accordance with the DST allocation information or it may use the
data partitions of task 1.sub.--1 if the partitioning is the same.
For each data partition, the DSTN identifies a set of its DT
execution modules 90 to perform task 2 in accordance with the DST
allocation information. From data partition to data partition, the
set of DT execution modules may be the same, different, or a
combination thereof. For the data partitions, the allocated set of
DT execution modules executes task 2 to produce partial results 102
(e.g., 1.sup.st through "zth") of specific words and/or phrases
found in the data partitions.
[0246] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 7 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 2 to produce task 2 intermediate result
(R2), which is a list of specific words and/or phrases found in the
data. The processing module of DST execution 7 is engaged to
aggregate the first through "zth" partial results of specific words
and/or phrases to produce the task 2 intermediate result. The
processing module stores the task 2 intermediate result as non-DS
error encoded data in the scratchpad memory or in another section
of memory of DST execution unit 7.
[0247] DST execution unit 7 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the task 2 intermediate result. To
begin the encoding, the DST client module determines whether the
list of specific words and/or phrases is of a sufficient size to
partition (e.g., greater than a Terabytes). If yes, it partitions
the task 2 intermediate result (R2) into a plurality of partitions
(e.g., R2.sub.--1 through R2_m). If the task 2 intermediate result
is not of sufficient size to partition, it is not partitioned.
[0248] For each partition of the task 2 intermediate result, or for
the task 2 intermediate results, the DST client module uses the DS
error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data
2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to
produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the
intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories
of DST execution units 1-4, and 7).
[0249] In FIG. 38, the distributed storage and task network (DSTN)
module is performing task 3 (e.g., find specific translated words
and/or phrases) on the translated data (R1-3). To begin, the DSTN
module accesses the translated data (from the scratchpad memory or
from the intermediate result memory and decodes it) and partitions
it into a plurality of partitions in accordance with the DST
allocation information. For each partition, the DSTN identifies a
set of its DT execution modules to perform task 3 in accordance
with the DST allocation information. From partition to partition,
the set of DT execution modules may be the same, different, or a
combination thereof. For the partitions, the allocated set of DT
execution modules 90 executes task 3 to produce partial results 102
(e.g., 1.sup.st through "zth") of specific translated words and/or
phrases found in the data partitions.
[0250] As indicated in the DST allocation information of FIG. 32,
DST execution unit 5 is assigned to process the first through "zth"
partial results of task 3 to produce task 3 intermediate result
(R3), which is a list of specific translated words and/or phrases
found in the translated data. In particular, the processing module
of DST execution 5 is engaged to aggregate the first through "zth"
partial results of specific translated words and/or phrases to
produce the task 3 intermediate result. The processing module
stores the task 3 intermediate result as non-DS error encoded data
in the scratchpad memory or in another section of memory of DST
execution unit 7.
[0251] DST execution unit 5 engages its DST client module to slice
grouping based DS error encode the task 3 intermediate result. To
begin the encoding, the DST client module determines whether the
list of specific translated words and/or phrases is of a sufficient
size to partition (e.g., greater than a Terabytes). If yes, it
partitions the task 3 intermediate result (R3) into a plurality of
partitions (e.g., R3.sub.--1 through R3_m). If the task 3
intermediate result is not of sufficient size to partition, it is
not partitioned.
[0252] For each partition of the task 3 intermediate result, or for
the task 3 intermediate results, the DST client module uses the DS
error encoding parameters of the data (e.g., DS parameters of data
2, which includes 3/5 decode threshold/pillar width ratio) to
produce slice groupings. The slice groupings are stored in the
intermediate result memory (e.g., allocated memory in the memories
of DST execution units 1-4, 5, and 7).
[0253] FIG. 39 is a diagram of an example of combining result
information into final results 104 for the example of FIG. 30. In
this example, the result information includes the list of specific
words and/or phrases found in the data (task 2 intermediate
result), the list of specific translated words and/or phrases found
in the data (task 3 intermediate result), the list of non-words
found in the data (task 1 first intermediate result R1-1), the list
of unique words found in the data (task 1 second intermediate
result R1-2), the list of translation errors due to non-words (task
1 sixth intermediate result R1-6), and the list of correctly
translated words and/or phrases (task 1 seventh intermediate result
R1-7). The task distribution module provides the result information
to the requesting DST client module as the results 104.
[0254] FIGS. 40A-40D are schematic block diagrams of an embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) illustrating an example of
storing data in DSN memory. The DSN includes the distributed
storage and task (DST) client module 34 of FIG. 1, the network 24
of FIG. 1, and the distributed storage and task network (DSTN)
module 22 of FIG. 1. Hereafter, the DSTN module 22 may be referred
to interchangeably as the DSN memory. The DSTN module 22 includes
one or more storage generations, where each storage generation is
associated with a vault of the DSN. A vault includes virtual
storage of the DSN and may be associated with one or more users of
the DSN. Incremental storage generations may be added over time to
provide incremental storage capacity as a total amount of data
stored associated with the vault grows. For example, the DSTN
module 22 includes storage generations 1-3 during a first timeframe
(e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 40A-B) and includes storage
generations 1-5 during a second timeframe (e.g., as illustrated in
FIGS. 40C-D). Each storage generation includes a set of DST
execution (EX) units 1-n. Each DST execution unit may be
implemented utilizing the DST execution unit 36 of FIG. 1.
Hereafter, the DST execution unit may be referred to
interchangeably as a storage unit of a set of storage units
associated with each storage generation.
[0255] The DST client module 34 includes the outbound DST
processing 80 of FIG. 3, the inbound DST processing 82 of FIG. 3,
and a slice name module 350. The slice name module 350 may be
implemented utilizing the processing module 84 of FIG. 3. The DST
client module 34 further includes a dispersed storage (DS) module
351. The DS module 351 may be implemented utilizing a plurality of
processing modules. For instance, the plurality of processing
modules may include the processing module 84 of FIG. 3. As a
specific example, the plurality of processing module includes a
first module, a second module, a third module, a fourth module, a
fifth module, and a sixth module. The first through sixth modules
may be utilized to implement the outbound DST processing 80, the
inbound DST processing 82, and the slice name module 350. The DSN
functions to access data 352 in the DSTN module 22 without
utilizing a directory. The accessing of the data 352 includes
storing of the data 352 and retrieving stored data to reproduce the
data 352.
[0256] FIG. 40A illustrates initial steps of an example of the
storing of the data 352, where the outbound DST processing 80
receives the data 352 for storage, where the data has a data name.
The data name includes file system information. The file system
information includes one or more of a user identifier (ID), a vault
identifier, and a file system path name for the data. Having
received the data 352, the outbound DST processing 80 dispersed
storage error encodes the data 352 to produce a plurality of sets
of encoded data slices.
[0257] Having produced the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices, the outbound DST processing 80 generates a plurality of
sets of DSN data addresses based on a data object number associated
with the data and data storage information. Each set of the
plurality of sets of DSN data addresses includes a set of DSN
addresses, where the set of DSN addresses includes a set of slice
names. Each slice name includes one or more of a slice index
corresponding to a particular slice of the set of encoded data
slices, a vault ID corresponding to an associated vault, a
generation number corresponding to one of the storage generations,
the data object number, and a segment number corresponding to the
set of encoded data slices. As a specific example, the outbound DST
processing 80 utilizes a pseudo random number generator to produce
the data object number, performs a system registry lookup to
retrieve the vault ID corresponding to a requesting entity, and
selects a storage generation of the storage generations to produce
the generation number.
[0258] The selecting of the storage generation for storing of the
data 352 includes at least one of a random selection, selecting a
most recently activated storage generation, selecting a storage
generation associated with a highest storage availability level,
selecting a storage generation based on interpreting a data storage
request, selecting a storage generation based on interpreting a
system registry entry, and selecting a storage generation
associated with a storage availability level that is greater than a
storage availability threshold level. For instance, the outbound
DST processing 80 selects a most recently activated storage
generation 3 as the selected storage generation to produce
generation number 3.
[0259] The data storage information includes dispersed storage
error encoding parameters. The dispersed storage error encoding
parameters includes one or more of data segmenting information
regarding segmenting the data 352 into a plurality of data
segments, a total number of encoded data slices per set of encoded
data slices, a decode threshold number of encoded data slices per
set of encoded data slices, a read threshold number of encoded data
slices per set of encoded data slices, and a write threshold number
of encoded data slices per the set of encoded data slices. The
outbound DST processing 80 determines the data storage information.
The determining includes at least one of performing a system
registry lookup, receiving the dispersed storage error encoding
parameters, and determining the dispersed storage error encoding
parameters based on one or more of received storage requirements
and an estimated DSN performance level.
[0260] Having generated the plurality of sets of DSN data
addresses, the outbound DST processing 80 sends, via the network
24, the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the DSTN module
22 (e.g., DSN memory) for storage in accordance with the plurality
of sets of DSN data addresses. As a specific example, the outbound
DST processing 80 generates a set of write slice requests that
includes the plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the
plurality of sets of DSN data addresses, and outputs the set of
write slice requests that includes the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices (EDS) 1-n of generation 3 to the set of DST execution
units 1-n of the storage generation 3.
[0261] FIG. 40B illustrates final steps of the example of the
storing of the data 352, where the outbound DST processing 80
generates retrieval data that is based on the data object number
and the data storage information. As a specific example, the
outbound DST processing 80 aggregates the data object number, the
vault ID and the generation number to produce the retrieval data.
Having generated the retrieval data, the outbound DST processing 80
dispersed storage error encodes the retrieval data to produce a set
of encoded retrieval data slices.
[0262] With the set of encoded retrieval data slices produced, the
slice name module 350 generates a set of DSN retrieval data
addresses 356 based on the data name 354 and on retrieval data
storage information. The set of DSN retrieval data addresses 356
includes a set of slice names for the set of encoded retrieval data
slices. Each slice name for a corresponding encoded retrieval data
slice includes one or more of a slice index corresponding to a
particular slice of the set of encoded retrieval data slices, the
vault ID, a generation number for the retrieval data corresponding
to at least one of the storage generations, a retrieval data object
number, and a segment number corresponding to the set of encoded
retrieval data slices. As a specific example, slice name module 350
performs a deterministic function on the data name 354 to produce
the retrieval data object number, and selects at least one storage
generation of the storage generations to produce the generation
number. The deterministic function includes one or more of a
hashing function, a hash-based message authentication code
function, a mask generating function, and a sponge function. For
instance, the slice name module 350 performs the mask generating
function on the data name 354 to directly produce the retrieval
data object number.
[0263] The selecting of the at least one storage generation for
storing of the retrieval data includes at least one of a random
selection, applying a deterministic function to the data name 354,
selecting the most recently activated storage generation, selecting
the storage generation associated with the highest storage
availability level, selecting the storage generation based on
interpreting the data storage request, selecting the storage
generation based on interpreting the system registry entry, and
selecting the storage generation associated with the storage
availability level that is greater than the storage availability
threshold level. For instance, the slice name module 350 performs
the hashing function on the data name 354 to produce an
intermediate result, and takes the intermediate result modulo a
number of current storage generations to produce generation number
2.
[0264] The retrieval data storage information includes dispersed
storage error encoding parameters for the retrieval data. The
dispersed storage error encoding parameters for the retrieval data
includes one or more of a total number of encoded retrieval data
slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices, a decode
threshold number of encoded retrieval data slices for the set of
encoded retrieval data slices, a read threshold number of encoded
retrieval data slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices,
and a write threshold number of encoded retrieval data slices for
the set of encoded retrieval data slices. The outbound DST
processing 80 determines the retrieval data storage information.
Alternatively, the slice name module 350 determines the retrieval
data storage information. The determining includes at least one of
performing a system registry lookup, receiving the dispersed
storage error encoding parameters for the retrieval data, utilizing
the dispersed storage error encoding parameters of the data 352,
and determining the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for
the retrieval data based on one or more of further received storage
requirements and the estimated DSN performance level.
[0265] With the DSN retrieval data addresses 356 produced, the
outbound DST processing 80 sends, via the network 24, the set of
encoded retrieval data slices to the DSTN module 22 (e.g., DSN
memory) for storage in accordance with the set of DSN retrieval
data addresses 356. As a specific example, the outbound DST
processing 80 generates another set of write slice requests that
includes the set of encoded retrieval data slices and the set of
DSN retrieval data addresses 356; and outputs the other set of
write slice requests that includes the set of encoded retrieval
data slices (ERDS) 1-n of generation 2 to the set of DST execution
units 1-n of the storage generation 2.
[0266] Alternatively, or in addition to, one or more of the slice
name module 350 and the outbound DST processing 80 may determine to
store the retrieval data in at least one other storage generation.
As a specific example, the slice name module 350 determines to
store multiple copies of the set of encoded retrieval data slices
and identifies multiple sets of storage units of the DSN memory for
storing the multiple copies. The multiple sets of storage units
being part of a logical storage vault within the DSN memory, where
a first set of storage units of the set of storage units
corresponds to a first generation of the DSN memory and a second
set of storage units of the set of storage units corresponds to a
second generation of the DSN memory. The determining includes one
or more of detecting that a size of the retrieval data is less than
a size threshold level, detecting that an available storage
capacity level is greater than an available storage capacity
threshold level, interpreting a system registry entry, and
interpreting a request.
[0267] When determining to store multiple copies of the set of
encoded retrieval data slices, the slice name module 350 generates
a unique set of DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data
name, on the retrieval data storage information, and on a
corresponding one of the multiple sets of storage units. As a
specific example, the slice name module 350 generates another set
of DSN retrieval data addresses that includes generation 3 when
identifying storage generation 3. With the other set of DSN
retrieval data addresses, the outbound DST processing 80 sends, via
the network 24, the set of encoded retrieval data slices to the
corresponding one of the multiple sets of storage units for storage
in accordance with the other set of DSN retrieval data addresses.
As a specific example, the outbound DST processing 80 generates yet
another set of write slice requests that includes the set of
encoded retrieval data slices and the other set of DSN retrieval
data addresses 356; and outputs the yet another set of write slice
requests that includes the set of encoded retrieval data slices
(ERDS) 1-n of generation 3 to the set of DST execution units 1-n of
the storage generation 3.
[0268] FIG. 40C illustrates initial steps of the example of the
retrieving of the stored data to reproduce the data 352, where the
inbound DST processing 82 receives a read request regarding the
data, where the read request includes the data name 354. Having
received the data name 354, the inbound DST processing 82 estimates
likely retrieval data storage information. Alternatively, the slice
name module 350 estimates the likely retrieval data storage
information. As a specific example, the slice name module 350
determines a logical DSN address to physical storage device mapping
(e.g., identifies DSN address ranges corresponding to each current
storage generation). As another specific example, the slice name
module 350 determines historical use patterns of the DSN memory
(e.g., which storage generations hold the most retrieval data). As
yet another specific example, the slice name module 350 determines
historical storage patterns of a requesting entity that is
requesting the read request (e.g., identify likely storage
generations associated with storage of retrieval data associated
with the requesting entity).
[0269] Having estimated the likely retrieval data storage
information, the slice name module 350 generates likely DSN
retrieval data addresses 358 based on the data name 354 and the
likely retrieval data storage information. As a specific example,
the slice name module 350 generates the likely DSN retrieval data
addresses 358 to include generation 3 when the likely retrieval
data storage information includes identification of storage
generation 3.
[0270] With the likely DSN retrieval data addresses 358 being
generated, the inbound DST processing 82 sends read requests to the
likely DSN retrieval data addresses 358. As a specific example, the
inbound DST processing 82 sends, via the network 24, retrieval data
read requests for generation 3, that includes a set of read slice
requests 1-n, to the set of DST execution units associated with
storage generation 3. The set of DST execution units 1-n issues
read slice responses to the inbound DST processing 82, where the
read slice responses includes encoded retrieval data slices of
generation 3.
[0271] When favorable responses to the read requests have been
received, the inbound DST processing 82 reconstructs the retrieval
data. Having reconstructive the retrieval data, the inbound DST
processing 82 utilizes the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.
The reconstruction of the data is discussed in greater detail with
reference to FIG. 40D.
[0272] When the favorable responses to the read requests have not
been received (e.g., if the read requests were sent to storage
generation 4 instead of 3), at least one of the inbound DST
processing 82 and the slice name module 350 estimates a second
likely retrieval data storage information and generates second
likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and the
second likely retrieval data storage information. For example, the
slice name module 350 generates second likely DSN retrieval data
addresses for generation 3. Having generated the second likely DSN
retrieval data addresses, the inbound DST processing 82 sends
second read requests to the second likely DSN retrieval data
addresses. For example, the inbound DST processing 82 sends, via
the network 24, retrieval data read requests for generation 3 to
the set of DST execution units associated with storage generation
3. When favorable responses to the second read requests have been
received, the inbound DST processing 82 reconstructs the retrieval
data and utilizes the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.
[0273] Alternatively, or in addition to, at least one of the
inbound DST processing 82 and the slice name module 350 determines
to recover the retrieval data from at least two storage
generations. The determining includes at least one of interpreting
a request, interpreting another system registry entry, and
detecting that a system loading level is less than a system loading
threshold level. When recovering from the at least two storage
generations, at least one of the inbound DST processing 82 and the
slice name module 350 estimates the second likely retrieval data
storage information. With the second likely retrieval data storage
information, the slice name module 350 generates the second likely
DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name 354 and the
second likely retrieval data storage information. With the second
likely DSN retrieval data addresses, the inbound DST processing 82
sends, via the network 24, the second read requests to the second
likely DSN retrieval data addresses. When favorable responses to
either of the read requests or the second read requests have been
received, the inbound DST processing 82 reconstructs the retrieval
data and utilizes the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.
[0274] FIG. 40D illustrates final steps of the example of the
retrieving of the stored data to reproduce the data 352, where the
inbound DST processing 82 extracts the DSN data addresses from the
reconstructed retrieval data and issues a data retrieval requests
to the DSTN module 22 in accordance with the extracted DSN data
addresses. As a specific example, the inbound DST processing 82
generates a set of read slice requests that includes the plurality
of sets of DSN data addresses based on the extracted DSN data
addresses. Having generated the set of read slice request, the
inbound DST processing 82 sends the set of read slice requests to
the set of DST execution units 1-n of storage generation 3, where
the read slice requests includes read slice requests for the
plurality of encoded data slices stored in storage generation 3.
The set of DST execution units 1-n of storage generation 3 sends
encoded data slices of generation 3 to the inbound DST processing
82. The inbound DST processing 82 decodes received encoded data
slices to reproduce the data 352.
[0275] FIG. 40E is a flowchart illustrating an example of accessing
data. The method includes storage where at step 360 a processing
module (e.g., of a distributed storage and task (DST) client module
of a dispersed storage network (DSN)) sends a plurality of sets of
encoded data slices to DSN memory for storage in accordance with a
plurality of sets of DSN data addresses. The data was dispersed
storage error encoded to produce the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices. The data has a data name and the plurality of sets of
DSN data addresses is generated based on a data object number
associated with the data and data storage information. The data
name includes file system information. The processing module may
utilize a pseudo random number generator to produce the data object
number. The processing module may determine, as the data storage
information, dispersed storage error encoding parameters.
[0276] The method continues at step 362 where the processing module
generates retrieval data that is based on the data object number
and the data storage information. For example, the processing
module generates the retrieval data to include a source name
associated with the sets of DSN data addresses. The method
continues at step 364 where the processing module dispersed storage
error encodes the retrieval data to produce a set of encoded
retrieval data slices.
[0277] The method continues at step 366 where the processing module
generates a set of DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data
name and on retrieval data storage information. For example, the
processing module performs a deterministic function on the data
name to produce a retrieval data object number. The processing
module may determine, as the retrieval data storage information,
dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The method continues
at step 368 where the processing module sends the set of encoded
retrieval data slices to the DSN memory for storage therein in
accordance with the set of DSN retrieval data addresses.
[0278] The processing module may facilitate storage of multiple
copies of the set of encoded retrieval data slices. The method
continues at step 370 where the processing module determines to
store multiple copies of the set of encoded retrieval data slices.
The method continues at step 372 where the processing module
identifies multiple sets of storage units of the DSN memory for
storing the multiple copies. The multiple sets of storage units
being part of a logical storage vault within the DSN memory, where
a first set of storage units of the set of storage units
corresponds to a first generation of the DSN memory and a second
set of storage units of the set of storage units corresponds to a
second generation of the DSN memory.
[0279] For each copy of the multiple copies, the method continues
at step 374 where the processing module stores the multiple copies
in the identified multiple sets of storage units. For example, the
processing module generates a unique set of DSN retrieval data
addresses based on the data name, on the retrieval data storage
information, and on a corresponding one of the multiple sets of
storage units. Next, the processing module sends the set of encoded
retrieval data slices to the corresponding one of the multiple sets
of storage units for storage therein in accordance with the unique
set of DSN retrieval data addresses.
[0280] When retrieving the data, the method includes step 376 where
the processing module receives a read request regarding the data,
where the read request includes the data name. The method continues
at step 378 where the processing module estimates likely retrieval
data storage information (e.g., estimates most probable
generations). The estimating the likely retrieval data storage
information includes one or more of determining a logical DSN
address to physical storage device mapping, determining historical
use patterns of the DSN memory, and determining historical storage
patterns of a requesting entity that is requesting the read
request.
[0281] The method continues at step 380 where the processing module
generates likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data
name and the likely retrieval data storage information. The method
continues at step 382 where the processing module sends read
requests to the likely DSN retrieval data addresses. The processing
module may receive responses to the read requests. When favorable
write responses to the read requests have been received, the method
branches to step 390. When the favorable responses to the read
requests have not been received, the method continues to step
384.
[0282] The method continues at step 384 where the processing module
estimates a second likely retrieval data storage information when
the favorable responses to the read requests have not been
received. The method continues at step 386 where the processing
module generates second likely DSN retrieval data addresses based
on the data name and the second likely retrieval data storage
information. The method continues at step 388 where the processing
module sends second read requests to the second likely DSN
retrieval data addresses. When the favorable responses to the read
requests or second read requests have been received, the method
continues at step 390 where the processing module reconstructs the
retrieval data and utilizes the retrieval data to reconstruct the
data.
[0283] Alternatively, or in addition to, the processing module may
attempt to recover the retrieval data from multiple potential
storage locations. As a specific example, the processing module
estimates the second likely retrieval data storage information and
generates the second likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on
the data name and the second likely retrieval data storage
information. The processing module sends the second read requests
to the second likely DSN retrieval data addresses. When the
favorable responses to either of the read requests or the second
read requests have been received, the processing module
reconstructs the retrieval data and utilizes the retrieval data to
reconstruct the data.
[0284] FIG. 41 is a flowchart illustrating an example of updating a
dispersed storage network (DSN) address. The method includes step
400 where a processing module (e.g., of a distributed storage and
task (DST) processing unit) determines to adjust a number of
generations associated with a data object stored in a dispersed
storage network (DSN). The determining may include at least one of
determining to add a generation when an amount of data associated
with the data is growing and determining to delete a generation
when the amount of data associated with the data a shrinking.
[0285] The method continues at step 402 where the processing module
identifies a number of generations associated with the data. The
identifying includes looking up a current number of generations
associated with the data for a write request and estimating a
number of generations that existed when the data was written when
the access is the read request. The method continues at step 404
where the processing module generates a generation number based on
the number of generations. The generating includes performing a
deterministic function on the data identifier and the number of
generations to produce the generation number. For example, the
processing module obtains at least a portion (e.g., a vault
identifier (ID) field entry, an object number field entry) of a
dispersed storage network (DSN) address associated with the data,
performs a deterministic function on the portion of the DSN address
to produce a source name reference, and taking the source name
reference modulo the number of generations to produce the
generation number.
[0286] The method continues at step 406 where the processing module
generates a DSN address using the generation number and based on
the data. For example, the processing module utilizes the
generation number in a generation field of the DSN address, obtains
a data ID, performs a registry lookup to identify the vault ID for
a vault ID field of the DSN address based on a accessing entity ID,
and obtains an object number for an object number field of the DSN
address associated with the data ID (e.g., look up in a directory
or a dispersed hierarchical index; generate as a random number when
writing the data). The method continues at step 408 where the
processing module identifies a set of storage units based on the
DSN address. The identifying includes at least one of performing a
DSN address-to-physical address table lookup using the DSN address,
initiating a query, and performing a generation-to-storage set
table lookup using the generation number.
[0287] The method continues at step 410 where the processing module
accesses the set of storage units using the DSN address to retrieve
a plurality of sets of encoded data slices associated the data. For
example, the processing module generates and sends a plurality of
sets of read slice requests to the set of storage units and receive
a plurality of at least a decode threshold number of read slice
responses for each of the sets of read slice requests. The method
continues at step 412 where the processing module identifies an
updated number of generations associated with the data. The
identifying includes adding or subtracting a generation based on
one or more of a volume of stored data trend, a request, receiving
an error message, and detecting a new set of storage units. For
example, the processing module determines to add a new generation
when detecting the new set of storage units. As another example,
the processing module determines to delete a generation when
detecting that a current volume of stored data is less than a low
store data threshold level.
[0288] The method continues at step 414 where the processing module
generates an updated generation number based on the updated number
of generations. For example, the processing module performs a
deterministic function on a data identifier and the updated number
of generations to produce the updated generation number. The method
continues at step 416 where the processing module generates an
updated DSN address using the updated generation number and based
on the data. The generating includes at least one of obtaining a
data identifier, performing a lookup based on a vault identifier,
obtaining an object number, and performing a lookup. The lookup may
include one or more of accessing a registry, accessing a directory,
and accessing a dispersed hierarchical index. The method continues
at step 418 where the processing module identifies another set of
storage units based on the updated DSN address. The identifying
includes at least one of performing a lookup, initiating a query,
and identifying the other set of storage units based on the updated
generation number of the updated DSN address.
[0289] The method continues at step 420 where the processing module
accesses the other set of storage units using the updated DSN
address to store the plurality of sets of encoded data slices
associated with the data. The accessing includes issuing one or
more sets of write slice requests to the other set of storage units
where the requests includes slice names based on the updated DSN
address. When the plurality of sets of encoded data slices have
been successfully stored, the method continues at step 422 where
the processing module deletes the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices from the set of storage units using the DSN address. The
deleting includes issuing one or more sets of delete slice requests
to the set of storage units that includes slice names based on the
DSN address.
[0290] FIG. 42 is a flowchart illustrating an example of accessing
an encoded data slice, which includes similar steps to FIG. 41. The
method includes step 424 where a processing module (e.g., of a
distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit) receives a read
slice request that includes a slice name, where the slice name
includes a generation number. The method continues at step 426
where the processing module determines whether the generation
number is associated with a locally stored encoded data slice. The
determining may be based on accessing a local slice list. The
method continues with step 402 of FIG. 41 where the processing
module identifies a number of generations associated with the
data.
[0291] The method continues at step 428 where the processing module
generates an alternate generation number based on the generation
number and the number of generations. The processing module may
increment or decrement the generation number based on a comparison
of another generation number that is associated with locally stored
encoded data slices and perform a deterministic function on the
data identifier and the number of generations. The method continues
at step 430 where the processing module generates an alternate
slice name using the alternate generation number and the slice
name. The generating includes replacing the generation number with
the alternate generation number in the slice name to produce the
alternate slice name.
[0292] The method continues at step 432 where the processing module
identifies another storage unit based on the alternate slice name.
The identifying includes accessing a list of storage units
associated with a set of generation number is associated with the
slice name. The method continues at step 434 where the processing
module retrieves an encoded data slice from the other storage units
using the alternate slice name. The retrieving includes issuing a
read slice requests to the other storage unit, where the request
includes the alternate slice name. The processing module receives
the encoded data slice from the other storage unit. The method
continues at step 436 where the processing module outputs the
encoded data slice to a requesting entity. Alternatively, or in
addition to, the processing module stores the encoded data slice in
a local memory and updates slice location information.
[0293] FIGS. 43A, 43C-F are schematic block diagrams of an
embodiment of a dispersed storage network (DSN) illustrating an
example of time-based storage of data. The DSN includes the
distributed storage and task (DST) client module 34 of FIG. 1, the
network 24 of FIG. 1, and the distributed storage and a DST
execution (EX) unit set 438. The DST execution unit set 438
includes a set of DST execution units 1-5. Each DST execution unit
may be implemented utilizing the DST execution unit 36 of FIG. 1.
Hereafter, the DST execution unit set 438 may be referred to
interchangeably as one or more of DSN memory, a set of storage
units, and a storage unit set; and the DST execution unit may be
referred to interchangeably as a storage unit.
[0294] The DST client module 34 includes the outbound DST
processing 80 of FIG. 3. The DST client module 34 may further
include a dispersed storage (DS) module 441. The DS module 441 may
be implemented utilizing a plurality of processing modules. For
instance, the plurality of processing modules may include the
processing module 84 of FIG. 3. As a specific example, the
plurality of processing module includes a first module, a second
module, a third module, and a fourth module. The first through
fourth modules may be utilized to implement the outbound DST
processing 80. The DSN functions to time-based store a large data
object 442 in the DST execution unit set 438. The large data object
442 may include at least one of a video file, a records file, a
collection of images file a documentation file, or any other data
object that has a data object size greater than a size threshold
level, where the size threshold level is associated with a storage
process that has a time to completion of storage that compares
unfavorably to a potential change in availability of the DST
execution unit set 438. For example, the availability of the DST
execution unit set 438 may change during a time frame that the
large data object is being stored to the DST execution unit set
438.
[0295] FIG. 43A illustrates initial steps of an example of the
storing of the large data object 442, where the outbound DST
processing 80 receives the large data object 442. Having received
the large data object 442, the outbound DST processing 80 encodes
the large data object 442 in accordance with a dispersed storage
error coding function to produce a plurality of sets of encoded
data slices. As a specific example, the outbound DST processing 80
generates encoded data slice sets 1-M as the plurality of sets of
encoded data slices and temporarily stores the encoded data slice
sets 1-M in a send queue 440.
[0296] Having cached the encoded data slice sets 1-M, the outbound
DST processing 80 obtains estimated future availability information
for storage units of the DSN. As a specific example, the outbound
DST processing 80 obtains availability information 444 from the DST
execution unit set 438. The availability information 444 includes
one or more of an expected pattern of availability, expected start
time of and availability level transition, expected duration of a
next availability period, a maintenance schedule, a historical
availability record, and an indication of a pending software
update. As a specific example, the set of DST execution units 1-5
send, via the network 24, availability information 1-5 as the
availability information 444 to the outbound DST processing 80.
Having received the availability information 444, the outbound DST
processing 80 interprets the availability information 444 to
produce the estimated future availability information for the
storage units. The generation and utilization of the estimated
future availability information is discussed in greater detail with
reference to FIG. 43B.
[0297] FIG. 43B is a timing diagram illustrating an example of
generating a time-availability pattern. The timing diagram includes
a mapping of the estimated future availability information 446
versus time 448 and to a time-availability pattern 450. As a
specific example, the mapping of the estimated future availability
information 446 versus time 444 indicates that DST execution unit 1
is expected to be available from a current time of t0 until a time
of t2, unavailable from t2 to t8 due to a scheduled software
update, and available again from t8 to t10. The example mapping
also indicates that DST execution unit 2 is expected to be
available from t0 to t5, unavailable from t5 to t8 due to scheduled
maintenance, and available from t8 to t10. The example mapping also
indicates that DST execution unit 3 is expected to be available
from t0 to t6 and unavailable from t6 to t10 due to a scheduled
power shutdown. The example mapping also indicates that DST
execution units 4 and 5 are expected to be available from t0 to
t10.
[0298] Having obtained the estimated future availability
information 446, the outbound DST processing 80 of FIG. 43A
organizes the plurality of sets of encoded data slices into a
plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices, where a group-set
of encoded data slices includes multiple sets of encoded data
slices. As a specific example, the outbound DST processing 80
organizes encoded slice sets 1 through M1 (e.g., of encoded slice
sets 1-M) into a first group-set of encoded data slices to be
associated with a first write transaction, encoded slice sets M1+1
through M2 into a second group-set of encoded data slices to be
associated with a second write transaction, encoded slice sets M2+1
through M3 into a third group-set of encoded data slices to be
associated with a third write transaction, and encoded slice sets
M3+1 through M into a fourth group-set of encoded data slices to be
associated with a fourth write transaction.
[0299] For each of the plurality of group-set of encoded data
slices, the outbound DST processing 80 estimates an approximate
storage completion time to produce a plurality of approximate
storage completion times. The estimating of the approximate storage
completion time may be based on one or more of a network
performance level of the network 24, a loading level for the DST
execution unit set 438, a previous write transaction, a number of
encoded data slices of the group-set of encoded data slices, and a
size of each of the encoded data slices. As a specific example, the
outbound DST processing 80 estimates that the first group-set of
encoded data slices has an approximate storage completion time of a
time duration associated with a time from t0 to t2.
[0300] Having estimated the approximate storage completion times,
the outbound DST processing 80 obtains a write threshold number.
The write threshold number includes a minimum number of available
storage units of the set of storage units to facilitate favorable
write transactions of each of the group-sets of encoded data
slices. The write threshold number is greater than or equal to a
decode threshold number and is less than or equal to an information
dispersal algorithm (IDA) width, where the decode threshold number
and IDA width are associated with the dispersed storage error
coding function. The IDA width includes a number of encoded data
slices of each set of encoded data slices and the decode threshold
number includes a minimum number of encoded data slices required to
recover data associated with a set of encoded data slices.
[0301] Having obtained the write threshold number, the outbound DST
processing 80 establishes the time-availability pattern 450 for
writing the plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices to the
storage units based on the estimated future availability
information, the plurality of approximate storage completion times,
and the write threshold number. The time-availability pattern 450
includes a plurality of time intervals and an availability
indication for each of the storage units in each time interval of
the plurality of time intervals. The storing of a group-set of the
plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices spans at least one
time interval of the plurality of time intervals.
[0302] As a specific example of the time-availability pattern 450,
the outbound DST processing 80 establishes the time-availability
pattern 450 to include writing the first group-set of encoded data
slices during time interval t0-t2 when all five storage units are
expected to be available, writing the second group-set of encoded
data slices during time interval t2-t5 when four of the five
storage units are available and the write threshold number is
three, writing the third group-set of encoded data slices during
time interval t5-t6 when three of the five storage units are
available and the write threshold number is three, performing no
writing during time interval t6-t8 when less than the write
threshold number of storage units are expected to be available, and
writing the fourth-set of encoded data slices during time interval
t8-t10 when four of the five storage units are expected to be
available and the write threshold number is three.
[0303] The time-availability pattern 450 may further include an
indication to send or withhold particular encoded data slices of a
given set of encoded data slices based on the estimated future
availability information 446. As a specific example, the outbound
DST processing 80 determines to withhold sending encoded data
slices to DST execution unit 1 during the timeframe t2-t5
associated with the second write transaction when DST execution
unit 1 is expected to be unavailable. For instance, the outbound
DST processing 80 holds encoded data slices associated with DST
execution unit 1 in the send queue 440 during time interval t2-t8
and sends the held encoded data slices (e.g., unwritten encoded
data slices from the second and third write transactions) to the
DST execution unit 1 over the time interval t8-t10.
[0304] FIG. 43C illustrates further steps of an example of the
storing of the large data object 442, where the outbound DST
processing 80 sends the plurality of group-sets of encoded data
slices to at least some of the storage units for storage in
accordance with the time-availability pattern 450. The sending
includes, for each of the plurality of group-set of encoded data
slices, the outbound DST processing 80 assigning a transaction
number (e.g., transaction numbers 1-4 for the four group-sets of
encoded data slices) and generating a write request for each
available storage unit per the time-availability pattern 450 to
produce a set of write requests, where each write request of the
set of write requests includes the transaction number. As a
specific example, the outbound DST processing 80 initiates a write
transaction 1 at time t0. For instance, the outbound DST processing
80 sends, via the network 24, a set of write slice requests 1-1
through 1-5 to DST execution units 1-5, where the set of write
slice request includes the first group-set of encoded data slices
and the transaction number 1.
[0305] When, sending a given group-set of the plurality of
group-sets of encoded data slices, one of the storage units was
listed as unavailable, the outbound DST processing 80 queues
sending an encoded data slice of each set of the given group-set of
encoded data slices and when the one of the storage units is
available and when another given group-set of the plurality of
group-sets of encoded data slices is being sent to the storage
units, the outbound DST processing 80 sends the encoded data slice
of each set of the given group-set of encoded data slices to the
one of the storage units.
[0306] FIG. 43D illustrates further steps of an example of the
storing of the large data object 442, where the outbound DST
processing 80 compares, as time passes, actual availability
information of the storage units with corresponding time portions
of the estimated future availability information 450. As a specific
example, the outbound DST processing 80 re-obtains the availability
information 444 from the DST execution unit set 438 prior to time
t2. When the actual availability information does not substantially
match the estimated future availability information 450 for the
corresponding time portions, the outbound DST processing 80 adjusts
the time-availability pattern 450 based on a difference between the
actual availability information and estimated future availability
information for the corresponding time portions. For instance, the
outbound DST processing 80 suspends sending of a next group-set of
encoded data slices when the actual availability information for a
next time frame indicates that less than the write threshold number
of storage units are estimated to be available.
[0307] Alternatively, or in addition to, when, during the sending a
given group-set of the plurality of group-sets of encoded data
slices, less than the write threshold number of storage units are
available, the outbound DST processing 80 ceases the sending of the
given group-set of the plurality of group-sets of encoded data
slices and queues the given group-set of the plurality of
group-sets of encoded data slices for sending to the at least some
of the storage units when at least the write threshold number of
storage units are available.
[0308] FIG. 43E illustrates further steps of an example of the
storing of the large data object 442, where the outbound DST
processing 80 initiates a write transaction 2 at time t2. For
instance, the outbound DST processing 80 sends, via the network 24,
a set of write slice requests 2-1 through 2-5 to DST execution
units 1-5, where the set of write slice request includes the second
group-set of encoded data slices and the transaction number 2.
[0309] FIG. 43F illustrates further steps of an example of the
storing of the large data object 442, where the outbound DST
processing 80 compares further actual availability information of
the storage units with corresponding time portions of the estimated
future availability information 450. As a specific example, the
outbound DST processing 80 re-obtains the availability information
444 from the DST execution unit set 438 prior to time t5 and
interprets the re-obtained availability information 444 to produce
the further actual availability information. When the further
actual availability information does not substantially match the
estimated future availability information 450 for the corresponding
time portions, the outbound DST processing 80 adjusts the
time-availability pattern 450 based on a difference between the
further actual availability information and estimated future
availability information for the corresponding time portions.
[0310] FIG. 43G is a flowchart illustrating an example of
time-based storage of data. In particular a method is presented for
use in conjunction with one or more functions and features
described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-39 and also FIGS. 43A-F. The
method includes step 460 where a processing module (e.g., of a
distributed storage and task (DST) client module of a dispersed
storage network (DSN)) obtains estimated future availability
information for storage units of the DSN. For example, the
processing module receives the estimated future availability
information from the storage units.
[0311] The method continues at step 462 where the processing module
organizes a plurality of sets of encoded data slices into a
plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices. A group-set of
encoded data slices includes multiple sets of encoded data slices.
The data is encoded in accordance with a dispersed storage error
coding function to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices. Dispersal parameters are associated with the dispersed
storage error coding function. The dispersal parameters includes
one or more of an information dispersal algorithm width (e.g., a
number of encoded data slices of each set of encoded data slices),
a write threshold number (e.g., a subset number of the IDA width
required to successfully write a representation of the set of
encoded data slices to the storage units), and a decode threshold
number (e.g., a minimum number of encoded data slices of the set of
encoded data slices required to recover data represented by the set
of encoded data slices).
[0312] For each of the plurality of group-sets of encoded data
slices, the method continues at step 464 where the processing
module estimates an approximate storage completion time to produce
a plurality of approximate storage completion times. The method
continues at step 466 of the processing module obtains the write
threshold number (e.g., retrieves from system registry information,
receives, determines based on storage requirements and a system
performance level).
[0313] The method continues at step 468 where the processing module
establishes a time-availability pattern for writing the plurality
of group-sets of encoded data slices to the storage units based on
the estimated future availability information, the plurality of
approximate storage completion times, and the write threshold
number. The establishing may include comparing, as time passes,
actual availability information of the storage units with
corresponding time portions of the estimated future availability
information and when the actual availability information does not
substantially match the estimated future availability information
for the corresponding time portions, adjusting the
time-availability pattern based on a difference between the actual
availability information and estimated future availability
information for the corresponding time portions.
[0314] The method continues at step 470 where the processing module
sends the plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices to at
least some of the storage units for storage in accordance with the
time-availability pattern. The sending includes, for each of the
plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices, assigning a
transaction number and generating a write request for each
available storage unit per the time-availability pattern to produce
a set of write requests, where each write request of the set of
write requests includes the transaction number. Alternatively, or
in addition to, when, for the sending of a given group-set of the
plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices, one of the storage
units was listed as unavailable, the processing module queues
sending an encoded data slice of each set of the given group-set of
encoded data slices. When the one of the storage units is available
and when another given group-set of the plurality of group-sets of
encoded data slices is being sent to the storage units, the
processing module sends the encoded data slice of each set of the
given group-set of encoded data slices to the one of the storage
units.
[0315] Alternatively, or in addition to, when, during the sending a
given group-set of the plurality of group-sets of encoded data
slices, less than the write threshold number of storage units are
available, the processing module ceases the sending of the given
group-set of the plurality of group-sets of encoded data slices and
queues the given group-set of the plurality of group-sets of
encoded data slices for sending to the at least some of the storage
units when at least the write threshold number of storage units are
available.
[0316] FIG. 44A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit 36 of FIG.
11. The DST execution unit 36 includes an interface 169, the memory
88, the controller 86, a plurality of distributed task (DT)
execution modules 90, and a plurality of DST client modules 34. In
an example of operation, the controller 86 obtains status of the
plurality of DT execution modules 90 and the plurality of DST
client modules 34. The obtaining includes one or more of issuing a
task control message 480 to the plurality of DT execution modules
90, issuing a DST control message 482 to the plurality of DST
client modules 34, receiving a task control message 480 from one or
more of the DT execution modules 90 that includes the status, and
receiving a DST control message 482 from one or more of the DST
client modules 34 that includes the status. The status includes one
or more of processing utilization level information, memory
utilization level information, garbage collection logs, error
information, and pending activity information.
[0317] In an example of operation, the controller 86 receives a
request via the interface 169, where the request includes at least
one of a slice processing request and a partial task 98. The
controller 86 identifies a resource type based on the request
(e.g., a DT execution module type for the partial task 98 and a DST
client module type for the slice processing request). The
controller 86 determines whether the resource type is available
based on the status. When the resource type is available, the
controller 86 selects a particular resource for assignment of the
request. For example, the controller 86 identifies a third DST
client module 34 that is most available for the request when the
request is the slice processing request. As another example, the
controller 86 selects a fourth DT execution module 90 when the
fourth DT execution module 90 is associated with processing
resources capable of executing the partial task 98 when the request
is the partial task 98. The controller 86 assigns the request to
the selected resource. The assigning includes at least one of
outputting an assignment task control message to an assigned DT
execution module 90 and outputting an assignment DST control
message to the assigned DST client module. When the resource type
is not available, the controller 86 may issue an error response via
the interface 169 to a requesting entity and/or to a managing
unit.
[0318] The assigned DT execution module 90 executes the assigned
partial task 98 to produce partial results 102. Alternatively, or
in addition to, the assigned DT execution module 90 facilitates the
memory 88 to retrieve slices 96 and to output results 104. The
assigned a DST client module 34 executes the slice processing
request to facilitate producing at least one of sub-slice groupings
170 and sub-partial partial tasks 172. Alternatively, or in
addition to, the DST client module 34 may facilitate the memory 88
to provide slices 100 and/or two receives slices 96 for further
slice processing.
[0319] FIG. 44B is a flowchart illustrating an example of assigning
resources. The method includes step 484 where a processing module
(e.g., of a controller module) obtains resource status information
for a plurality of task execution modules and a plurality of
dispersed storage modules. The obtaining includes at least one of
receiving, issuing a query, performing a lookup, accessing a
historical record, and interpreting an activity log. The method
continues at step 486 where the processing module receives a
request. The method continues at step 488 where the processing
module identifies a resource type based on the request. For
example, the processing module identifies the resource type based
on a type of the request. For instance, the processing module
identifies a distributed task execution module receiving a partial
task requests. In another instance, the processing module
identifies a distributed storage and task client module type when
receiving a slice processing request. The processing module may
identify another resource type for another request type.
[0320] The method continues at step 490 where the processing module
determines whether the resource type is available. For example, for
each resource, the processing module interprets pending request to
produce a predicted loading level and compares the predicted
loading level to an upper loading level threshold. The processing
module indicates available when the comparison is favorable (e.g.,
more capacities available than required). The method branches to
step 494 when the resource type is available. The method continues
to step 492 when the resource type is not available. The method
continues at step 492 where the processing module issues and error
response when the resource type is not available. The issuing of
the error response includes generating an error message and sending
the error message to at least one of a requesting entity and a
managing unit.
[0321] The method continues at step 494 where the processing module
selects at least one resource of the plurality of task execution
modules and the plurality of dispersed storage modules when the
resource type is available. For example, the processing module
identifies a resource associated with a most favorable comparison
of predicted loading to available loading (e.g., most available
capacity). The method continues at step 496 where the processing
module assigns the request to the selected at least one resource.
For example, the processing module sends the request to the
selected resource.
[0322] FIG. 45A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system that includes the
distributed storage and task network (DSTN) module 22 of FIG. 1, a
set of distributed storage and task (DST) processing units 1-N,
where each DST processing unit includes the DST processing unit 16
of FIG. 1, and a load-balancing module 498. The DSTN module 22
includes the DST execution unit set 438 of FIG. 43A. The DST
execution unit set 438 includes a set of DST execution units 36 of
FIG. 1.
[0323] The system functions to store data 500 as a plurality of
sets of encoded data slices 504 in the DST execution unit set 438.
The load-balancing module 498 selects one of the DST processing
units, based on resource status information 502 from the DST
processing units, to encode the data 500 using a dispersed storage
error coding function to produce the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices 504 for storage in the DST execution unit set 438. The
resource status information 502 includes one or more of an
indicator of a time frame of availability, an indicator of a time
frame of unavailability, a time frame for a scheduled software
update, a time frame for a scheduled new hardware addition, an
error message, a maintenance schedule, a communications error rate,
and a storage error rate.
[0324] In an example of operation, a DST processing unit determines
to at least temporarily suspend operations. The determining may be
based on one or more of adding new software, activating new
hardware, recovering from a storage error, recovering from a
communications error, receiving a suspend request, and interpreting
the maintenance schedule. The DST processing unit continues to
perform a slice access activity with regards to pending data access
requests associated with the DST processing unit. The
load-balancing module 498 receives a new data access request. The
load-balancing module 498 determines availability of each of the
DST processing units based on one or more of receiving resource
status information 502, initiating a query, receiving an error
message, and detecting an unfavorable performance (e.g., detecting
slow response latency). The load-balancing module 498 selects the
DST processing unit when the availability (e.g., previously known
availability) of the DST processing unit compares favorably to
availability of other DST processing units. The load-balancing
module 498 forwards the data access requests to the DST processing
unit.
[0325] While suspending operations, the DST processing units
indicates the unfavorable performance to the load-balancing module.
The indicating unfavorable performance includes at least one of
ignoring the request, sending a late unfavorable response, issuing
unfavorable resource status information, and ignoring resource
status requests from the load-balancing module. The load-balancing
module 498 interprets the indication to determine that the data
access request is to be reassigned. The load-balancing module 498
un-selects the DST processing unit from the data access assignment.
For example, the load-balancing module sends a cancellation message
to the DST processing unit and selects another DST processing unit
and sends the data access request to the other DST processing
unit.
[0326] FIG. 45B is a diagram illustrating an example of
load-balancing. The method includes step 506 where a distributed
storage and task (DST) processing unit determines to temporarily
suspend operations. The method continues at step 508 where the DST
processing unit continues to execute pending operations. For
example, the DST processing unit continues to process previously
accepted data access requests. The method continues at step 510
where a load-balancing module receives a data access request. The
method continues at step 512 where the load-balancing module
assesses availability of a set of DST processing units that
includes the DST processing unit. The assessing includes producing
availability information based on one or more of interpreting
performance indicators, receiving resource status information,
initiating a query, receiving an error message, and detecting
favorable performance.
[0327] The method continues at step 514 where the load-balancing
module selects the DST processing unit for execution of the data
access request. For example, the load-balancing module selects the
DST processing unit when availability of the DST processing unit
compares more favorably to availability of other DST processing
units. The method continues at step 516 where the load-balancing
module forwards the data access request to the DST processing
unit.
[0328] The method continues at step 518 where the DST processing
unit indicates unfavorable performance. For example, the DST
processing unit ignores the data access requests. As another
example, the DST processing unit waits a delay time period before
sending a data access response causing the load-balancing module to
interpret the data access response as a late data access response
associated with unfavorable performance. As yet another example,
the DST processing unit delays responses associated with previous
accepted data access requests. The method continues at step 520
where the load-balancing module detects the indicated unfavorable
performance. For example, the load-balancing module detects the
indicated unfavorable performance when the data access response was
not received within a desired response timeframe.
[0329] The method continues at step 522 where the load-balancing
module un-selects the DST processing unit for execution of the data
access request. The un-selecting includes one or more of sending a
cancellation message to the DST processing unit, selecting another
DST processing unit for the data access request, and assigning the
other DST processing unit the data access request.
[0330] The method continues at step 524 where the DST processing
unit determines to resume operations. The determining may be based
on one or more of detecting that new software is operational,
detecting that new hardware is operational, detecting that an error
condition has cleared, and detecting that a level of pending data
access requests has fallen below a low data access request
threshold level. The method continues at step 526 where the DST
processing unit indicates favorable performance. For example, the
DST processing unit generates data access responses in accordance
with desired data access response timing. As another example, the
DST processing unit responds to all data access requests. As yet
another example, the DST processing unit sends favorable resource
status information to the load-balancing module.
[0331] FIG. 46A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a distributed storage and task (DST) execution unit 36 that
includes the distributed storage and task (DST) client module 34
and one or more memory devices 88 of FIG. 3. The memory 88 includes
a plurality of portions of memory associated with different
utilizations. The portions may be physical memory or virtual memory
space. The plurality of portions includes one or more portions
utilized for slices memory 606, utilized for rebuilt slices memory
608, reserved for rebuilt slices memory 610, and un-utilized memory
612. The un-utilized memory 612 is associated with available
storage capacity, where the available storage capacity may be
calculated as a memory size minus memory used for each of the
utilized for slices memory 606, memory used for the utilized for
rebuilt slices memory 608, and memory used for the reserved for
rebuilt slices memory 610.
[0332] The DST execution unit 36 functions to store encoded data
slices 600 in the utilized for slices memory 606 and store rebuilt
encoded data slices 602 in the utilized for rebuilt slices memory.
The DST client module 34 may obtain the rebuilt encoded data slices
by at least one of: receiving the rebuilt encoded data slices and
generating the rebuilt encoded data slices by retrieving
representations of encoded data slices from a decode threshold
number of other DST execution units 36. When encoded data slices
are to be stored, the DST client module 34 determines whether
sufficient available storage capacity of the un-utilized memory is
available for utilization for slices memory. For instance, the DST
client module compares a size of an encoded data slice for storage
to the size of the un-utilized memory. The DST client module
indicates that storage space is available when the size of the
encoded data slice is less than the size of the un-utilized memory.
The DST client module 34 may determine the size of the reserved for
rebuilt slices memory based on identifying encoded data slices to
be rebuilt. The identifying includes at least one of detecting a
slice error and receiving an indication of the slice error.
[0333] In an example of operation, the DST client module 34
identifies a plurality of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding.
The DST client module 34 determines an amount of reserve memory 610
required for storage of rebuilt slices for the identified plurality
of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding. The determining may
include exchanging memory utilization information 604 with at least
one other DST execution unit, where the exchanging includes
receiving an amount of memory required for an encoded data slice
associated with, for example, a slice error. The DST client module
34 updates the memory utilization information to include the amount
of reserve memory required. The memory utilization information
includes one or more of size of the utilized for slices memory,
size of the utilized for rebuilt slices memory, size of the
reserved for rebuilt slices memory, and size of the un-utilized
memory. The DST client module 34 outputs the memory utilization
information 604 to one or more of a DST processing unit, a managing
unit, and a user device.
[0334] The DST client module 34 obtains rebuilt encoded data slices
(e.g., receives, generates) and stores the rebuilt encoded data
slices in the utilized for rebuilt encoded data slices memory.
Accordingly, the DST client module updates the reserved for rebuilt
slices memory by a similar memory size amount as storage of the
rebuild encoded data slices (e.g., lowers size of reserved for
rebuilt slices memory and raises size for utilized for rebuilt
slices memory). The DST client module updates the memory
utilization information and may output the updated memory
utilization information.
[0335] FIG. 46B-C are diagrams illustrating examples of memory
utilization for a series of times frames, where each timeframe
indicates an amount of memory utilized for slices, rebuilt slices,
reserved for rebuilt slices, unutilized, and a total amount of
memory capacity. The total amount of memory capacity remains
constant over the time intervals. In particular, FIG. 46 B
illustrates examples of the memory utilization 614 for a first set
of time intervals T1-5. At T1, stored slices use 300 TB of memory
space of a total capacity of 500 TB of memory space leaving 200 TB
of unutilized memory space. At T2, 50 TB of slices for rebuilding
are detected such that reserved for rebuilding is incremented by 50
TB and unutilized memory space is lowered by 50 TB from 200 TB to
150 TB. At T3, a first 20 TB of rebuilt slices are obtained and
stored such that the reserved memory space for rebuilt slices is
lowered by 20 TB from 50 TB to 30 TB. At T4, a remaining 30 TB of
rebuilt slices are obtained and stored such that the reserve memory
space rebuilt slices is lowered by another 30 TB from 30 TB two 0
TB and the rebuilt slices is raised to buy 30 TB from 20 TB to 50
TB. At T5, the rebuilt slices are moved to the memory space for
slices thus raising the rebuilt slices by 50 TB from 300 TB to 350
TB. Utilized memory includes the combination 615 of utilized for
slices memory 606, memory used for the utilized for rebuilt slices
memory 608, and memory used for the reserved for rebuilt slices
memory 610.
[0336] FIG. 46C continues the examples of memory utilization 616
for second set of time intervals T6-T10. The example begins at time
interval T6 which is equivalent to memory utilization of T5. At T7,
100 TB of new slices are stored thus raising the memory utilization
of slices from 350 TB to 450 TB and lowering the unutilized memory
space from 150 TB to 50 TB. At T8, 50 TB of slices for rebuilding
is detected such that memory space of reserved for rebuilding is
incremented by 50 TB from zero to 50 TB and memory space of
unutilized is lowered by 50 TB from 50 TB two 0 TB. Requests for
storage of new slices are rejected since the memory space of the
unutilized memory is zero. At T9, 50 TB of rebuilt slices are
received and stored in the memory space of the rebuilt slices thus
raising the rebuilt slices from 0 TB to 50 TB and lowering the
memory space for rebuilt slices from 50 TB to 0 TB. At T10, the
slices of the memory space rebuilt slices is considered part of the
memory space of slices thus raising the memory space of the slices
from 450 TB to 500 TB and lowering the memory space of the rebuilt
slices from 50 TB to 0 TB. As such, the memory storage space is
full and subsequent request for storage of slices or rebuilt slices
shall be rejected.
[0337] FIG. 46D is a flowchart illustrating an example of updating
memory utilization information. The method begins at step 618 where
a processing module (e.g., of a distributed storage and task (DST)
client module) identifies a plurality of encoded data slices
requiring rebuilding. As further delineated in FIG. 46E (flowchart
illustrating example ways to identify slices needing a rebuild),
the identifying includes at least one of: receiving an error
message 632 (e.g., no slices detected for rebuild, no access to
rebuild information, not enough space to rebuild, etc.); receiving
a rebuilding request 634 (e.g., to rebuild specific data slices or
range of data slices); detecting missing or corrupted encoded data
slices by comparing a list of locally stored encoded data slices
(or range of slices) to a list of remotely stored encoded data
slices (or range of slices) associated with the locally stored
encoded data slices to identify missing slices or detecting
unfavorable slice integrity (e.g., corrupted slices); monitoring
downloads 638 to the DS memory meeting minimum read/write (R/W)
width thresholds but less than a full pillar width (successful
download, but not all slices above threshold successfully
downloaded); determining 640 when DSN read/write (R/W) requests
occur for the plurality of encoded data slices and comparing to
known times of inaccessibility for the DS memory storing the
plurality of encoded data slices (e.g., DS memory was down for
maintenance when original slice R/W request occurred); and querying
vaults related to the plurality of encoded data slices 641 to
determine one or more missing or corrupted encoded data slices
(e.g., other vaults sharing the same data slices may have a list or
copies which include the missing or corrupted data slices).
[0338] The rebuilding of the plurality of encoded data slices is,
in one embodiment, queued for at least one of individual, group, or
batch processing and the processing will be performed at a
significant time delay from the queuing. As the rebuild processing
may occur in the future, the embodiments of FIGS. 46A-G, ensure
that memory space is set aside for rebuilds such that interceding
requests for memory slice storage will not over utilize memory
needed for the rebuild before it has a chance to occur.
[0339] The method continues at the step 620 where the processing
module determines an amount of memory space to reserve for the
plurality of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding. The
determining includes identifying slice sizes based on at least one
of initiating a slice size query with regards to the remotely
stored encoded data slices, receiving a query response, and
performing a local lookup based on a slice name.
[0340] The method continues at step 622 where the processing module
updates memory utilization information to include the amount of
memory space to reserve. For example, the processing module
increments an amount of memory reserved for rebuilt slices by the
amount of memory space to reserve and decrements unutilized memory
space by the amount of memory space to reserve. The method
continues at step 624 where the processing module sends the memory
utilization information to at least one of a storing entity and a
managing unit. The sending may further include determining whether
a sum of an amount of memory utilized for slices, an amount of
memory utilize for rebuilt slices, and an amount of memory reserved
for rebuilt slices is greater than a capacity of memory. When the
sum is greater, the processing module may further send an
indication that the memory is full.
[0341] The method continues at step 626 where the processing module
obtains rebuilt encoded data slices (e.g., received, generate). The
method continues at step 628 where the processing module stores the
rebuilt encoded data slices in a local DS memory. The method
continues at step 630 where the processing module updates the
amount of memory space to reserve for remaining encoded data slices
requiring rebuilding. The updating includes determining an amount
of memory space utilized to store the obtained rebuilt encoded data
slices, incrementing the amount of memory space utilized for
rebuilt slices by the amount of memory space utilized to store the
obtained rebuilt encoded data slices, and decrementing the amount
of memory space reserved for rebuilt slices by the amount of memory
space utilized to store the obtained rebuilt encoded data slices.
The updating may further include updating the memory space utilized
for slices to include the amount of memory space utilized to store
the obtained rebuilt encoded data slices and decrementing the
amount of memory space utilized to store the rebuild encoded data
slices. The method loops back to the step where the processing
module updates the memory utilization information.
[0342] FIG. 46F is a flowchart illustrating another example of
updating memory utilization information. The method begins at step
642 where a processing module (e.g., DST integrity processing unit
20) attempts to retrieve a plurality of encoded data slices from a
DS memory to perform an integrity check. Slices are retrieved based
on any of: list(s) of slice addresses, list(s) of names, range(s)
of slice addresses and range(s) of slice names. In step 644, it is
determined if the encoded data slices were retrieved during the
attempted retrieval. In step 646, for encoded data slices that were
not received and/or not listed, they are flagged as missing slices.
For retrieved encoded data slices, they are checked for errors due
to data corruption, outdated version, etc. In step 648, if a slice
includes an error, it is flagged as a `bad` slice. Bad and/or
missing slices are subsequently rebuilt using other retrieved
encoded data slices that are deemed to be good slices to produce
rebuilt slices.
[0343] The rebuilding of the plurality of encoded data slices is,
in one embodiment, queued for at least one of individual, group, or
batch processing and the processing will be performed at a
significant time delay from the queuing. As the rebuild processing
may occur in the future, the embodiments of FIGS. 47A-G, ensure
that memory space is set aside for rebuilds such that interceding
requests for memory slice storage will not over utilize memory
needed for the rebuild before it has a chance to occur.
[0344] The method continues at the step 650 where the processing
module determines an amount of memory space to reserve for the
plurality of encoded data slices requiring rebuilding. The
determining includes identifying slice sizes based on at least one
of initiating a slice size query with regards to the remotely
stored encoded data slices, receiving a query response, and
performing a local lookup based on a slice name.
[0345] The method continues at step 652 where the processing module
updates memory utilization information to include the amount of
memory space to reserve. For example, the processing module
increments an amount of memory reserved for rebuilt slices by the
amount of memory space to reserve and decrements unutilized memory
space by the amount of memory space to reserve. The method
continues at step 653 where the processing module sends the memory
utilization information to at least one of a storing entity (e.g.,
storage/vault peers), user units and a managing unit. The sending
may further include determining whether a sum of an amount of
memory utilized for slices, an amount of memory utilize for rebuilt
slices, and an amount of memory reserved for rebuilt slices is
greater than a capacity of memory. When the sum is greater, the
processing module may further send an indication that the memory is
full.
[0346] The method continues at step 654 where the processing module
obtains rebuilt encoded data slices (e.g., received, generated) and
stores, in step 656, the rebuilt encoded data slices in a local DS
memory. The method continues at step 657 where the processing
module updates the amount of memory space to reserve for remaining
encoded data slices requiring rebuilding. The updating includes
determining an amount of memory space utilized to store the
obtained rebuilt encoded data slices, incrementing the amount of
memory space utilized for rebuilt slices by the amount of memory
space utilized to store the obtained rebuilt encoded data slices,
and decrementing the amount of memory space reserved for rebuilt
slices by the amount of memory space utilized to store the obtained
rebuilt encoded data slices. The updating may further include
updating the memory space utilized for slices to include the amount
of memory space utilized to store the obtained rebuilt encoded data
slices and decrementing the amount of memory space utilized to
store the rebuild encoded data slices.
[0347] FIG. 46G is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
example DST client module 34 structure for memory utilization. DST
client module 34 may include a plurality of processing modules (or
sub-modules) to perform one or more steps of the embodiments of
FIGS. 46A-F. While this example is shown as seven separate modules,
the modules may be combined/separated into any number of modules
(local or remote) to complete the various steps and functions of
the various embodiments of FIGS. 46A-F.
[0348] As shown, identify module 34-1 identifies a plurality of
encoded data slices that require rebuilding, wherein rebuilding of
the plurality of encoded data slices is queued for at least one of
individual, group, or batch processing and the processing will be
performed at a significant time delay from the queuing. Determine
module 34-2 determines an amount of memory required for storage of
the rebuild encoded data slices for the plurality of encoded data
slices. Update module 34-3 updates utilization information of the
memory by allocating a portion of available memory to the amount of
memory required. Indicate module 34-4 indicates the memory
utilization (e.g., by sending the updated utilization information
604 of the memory to at least one of a storing entity (e.g., other
storage/vault peers) and a managing unit). Obtain module 34-5
obtains rebuilt data slices (e.g., from other good copies or
related vaults or generates them from other encoded data slices).
Store module 34-6 stores the rebuilt encoded data slices in the
reserve memory; and modify module 34-7 modifies the utilization
information to reflect the stored rebuilt encoded data slices.
Additional modules may be included within DST client module 34 to
perform additional tasks (for example, but not limited to, passing
encoded data slices to/from slice memory during non-rebuild
write/read (W/R) operations). Alternatively, obtain module 34-5 and
store module 34-6 may perform the receive and store slices 600
tasks, respectively.
[0349] FIG. 47A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system that includes the
disbursing storage and task (DST) processing unit 16 and the
distributed storage and task network (DSTN) module 22 of FIG. 1.
The DSTN module 22 includes at least two DST execution unit sets
1-2. Each DST execution unit set includes a set of DST execution
units 36 of FIG. 1. The system functions to store at least two data
objects in a common DST execution unit set.
[0350] In an example of operation, the DST processing unit 16
receives a data object 1 write request 700. The DST processing unit
16 encodes data object 1 using a dispersed storage error coding
function to produce first sets (data object 1) of encoded data
slices 700-1, 2, . . . n (where n equals the width (number of
pillars) of the encoded data slice set). The DST processing unit 16
generates first sets of slice names for the first sets of encoded
data slices. The DST processing unit 16 issues one or more sets of
data object 1 write slice requests to a DST execution unit set 1
that includes the first sets of encoded data slices and the
corresponding first sets of slice names, where the first sets of
slice names fall within a range of slice names associated with the
DST execution unit set 1.
[0351] With data object 1 stored in the first set of DST execution
units 36, the DST processing unit 16 receives a data object 2
co-locate write request 702 with regards to storing a second data
object in the same set of DST execution units 36 as the first data
object (e.g., in the DST execution unit set 1). The data object 2
co-locate write request includes a data identifier (ID) of the data
object to be co-located with (e.g., a data ID of the data object
1), a data ID of the second data object (e.g., the data object 2 to
be co-located), and may include the data (e.g., data object 2) to
be co-located when it is not already stored within the DSTN module
22.
[0352] When the data object to be co-located (e.g., the second data
object) is included in the data object 2 co-locate write request,
the DST processing unit 16 identifies the set of DST execution
units 36 associated with the data ID of data object 1 to be
co-located with (e.g., the DST execution unit set 1). The
determining includes accessing one or more of a directory and a
dispersed hierarchical index to identify a DSN address associated
with the data ID of data object 1 to be co-located with and
performing a DSN address-to-physical location table lookup to
identify the set of DST execution units 36 associated with the data
ID of data object 1 to be co-located with. Next, the DST processing
unit encodes the second data object (data object 2) to produce
second sets of encoded data slices for storage in the DST execution
unit set 1. The DST processing unit 16 generates second sets of
slice names for the second sets of encoded data slices, where the
second sets of slice names are based on the first sets of slice
names such that the second sets of slice names fall within a range
of slice names associated with a range of slice names associated
with the set of DST execution units 36 associated with the data ID
of data object 1 to be co-located with. DST processing unit 16
issues data object 2 write slice requests to the set of DST
execution units 36 associated with the data ID of the data object
to be co-located with (e.g., to DST execution unit set 1), where
the data object 2 write slice requests includes the second sets of
encoded data slices.
[0353] When the data object to be co-located is not included in the
data object 2 co-locate write request, the DST processing unit 16
determines whether the data object to be co-located is already
co-located. The determining includes the DST processing unit 16
identifying the DST execution unit set associated with storage of
the second data object and comparing the identity to the identity
of the DST execution unit set associated with storage of the first
data object. When data object 2 to be co-located is not already
co-located (e.g., with data object 1), the DST processing unit 16
recovers data object 2 from the DST execution unit set associated
with storage of the second data object (e.g., from DST execution
unit set 2). The recovering includes issuing data object 2 read
slice requests 704 to the DST execution unit set associated with
storage of the second data object and receiving the second sets of
encoded data slices (e.g., received from DST execution unit set 2).
Next, the DST processing unit 16 issues the data object 2 write
slice requests to the set of DST execution units 36 associated with
the data ID of the data object 1 to be co-located with (e.g., to
DST execution unit set 1), where the data object 2 write slice
requests includes the received second sets of encoded data slices
and the corresponding second sets of slice names.
[0354] FIG. 47B is a diagram illustrating an example of generating
an updated slice name for a previously stored encoded data slice of
a second data object to be co-located with one or more encoded data
slices of a first data object. The slice name 706 has a structure
that includes a slice index field 708, a vault identifier (ID)
field 710, a generation field 712, an object number field 714, and
a segment number field 716. A substantial number of the fields of
the slice name structure of a slice name of the previously stored
encoded data slice of the second data object are updated to be
substantially aligned with corresponding fields of the slice name
structure of a slice name of the one or more encoded data slices of
the first data object. For example, a vault ID field entry of the
previous data object 2 slice 1 is updated to be substantially the
same as a vault ID field entry of data object 1 slice 1. As another
example, an object number field entry of the previous data object 2
slice 1 is updated based on an object number field entry of the
previous data object 2 slice 1 such that the slice name of the
updated data object 2 slice 1 falls within a range of slice names
associated with storage of the first data object.
[0355] FIG. 47C is a flowchart illustrating an example of
co-locating storage of data objects. The method begins at step 718
where a processing module (e.g., a distributed storage and task
(DST) processing unit) receives a data object 2 co-locate write
request to co-locate a data object 2 with a data object 1 to be
co-located with. The write request includes one or more of data
identifiers (IDs) for the data object 2 to be co-located and the
data object 1 to be co-located with. The method continues at step
720 where the processing module obtains a plurality of sets of
encoded data slices for the data object 2 to co-locate. The
obtaining includes one of receiving, generating, and retrieving.
When receiving, the processing module extracts the plurality of
sets of encoded data slices from the write request 700. When
generating, the processing module encodes the data object 2 be
co-located using a dispersed storage error coding function to
produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. When
retrieving, the processing module identifies previous sets of slice
names utilized to store the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices based on a data ID of the data object 2 to become
co-located, issues one or more sets of read slice requests to a
previously utilized set of storage units where the one or more sets
of read slice requests includes the previous sets of slice names,
and receiving the plurality of sets of encoded data slices 704.
[0356] The method continues at the step 722 where the processing
module generates a plurality of sets of slice names for the
plurality of sets of encoded data slices based on addressing
information of the data object 1 to be co-located with. For
example, the processing module generates the plurality of sets of
slice names to include a vault ID associated with the data object
to be co-located with and an object number field entry that causes
the generated plurality of sets of slice names to fall within a
slice name range that is associated with a set of storage units
where the data object to be co-located with is stored.
[0357] The method continues at the step 724 where the processing
module stores the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the
set of storage units using the generated plurality of sets of slice
names. The storing includes generating one or more sets of write
slice requests that includes the plurality of sets of encoded data
slices and the generated plurality of sets of slice names and
outputting the one or more sets of read slice requests to the set
of storage units. When storage of the plurality of sets of encoded
data slices in the set of storage units is confirmed, and when the
plurality of sets of encoded data slices were retrieved using the
previous sets of slice names, the method continues at the step 726
where the processing module deletes the plurality of sets of
encoded data slices utilizing the previous sets of slice names. For
example, the processing module issues a set of delete slice
requests that includes the previous sets of slice names to the
previous utilized set of storage units.
[0358] FIG. 47D is a flowchart illustrating one example of
obtaining the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to be
co-located. The obtaining, step 720, includes multiple processing
paths for receiving, generating, and retrieving the plurality of
sets of encoded data slices to be co-located (data object 2) based
on the location of data object 2 at the time of the request. When
receiving, the processing module extracts in step 727 the ID of
data object 1, ID of data object 2 and, if included with the
request, the plurality of data object 2 sets of encoded slices from
the write request 700. When data object 2 to be co-located (e.g.,
the second data object) is included in the data object 2 co-locate
write request, the DST processing unit 16 identifies, beginning
with step 730, the set of DST execution units 36 associated with
data ID 1 of the data object to be co-located with (e.g., the DST
execution unit set 1). The determining includes accessing one or
more of a directory in step 731 and a dispersed hierarchical index
in step 732 to identify a DSN address associated with data object 1
ID to be co-located with and performing a DSN address-to-physical
location table lookup in step 734 to identify the physical location
(PL) address set of DST execution units 36 associated with the data
ID of the data object to be co-located with. If data object 2 is
not already encoded, it is encoded in step 729 using a dispersed
storage error coding function.
[0359] When the data object to be co-located is not included in the
data object 2 co-locate write request, the DST processing unit 16
determines whether the data object to be co-located is already
co-located. The determining includes comparing data object 2 PL to
data object 1 PL. If they are co-located (data object 2 PL is
stored within a range of addresses for data object 1 PL) no further
action is required. When data object 2 to be co-located is not
already co-located, the DST processing unit 16 recovers (reads), in
step 736, the second data object from the DST execution unit set
associated with storage of the second data object (e.g., from DST
execution unit set 2).
[0360] FIG. 47E is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment
of a dispersed storage network (DSN) system in accordance with the
present disclosure. DST processing unit 16 may include a plurality
of processing modules (or sub-modules) to perform one or more steps
of the embodiments of FIGS. 47A-D. While this example is shown as
four separate modules, the modules may be combined or separated
into any number of modules (local or remote) to complete the
various steps and functions of the various embodiments of FIGS.
47A-D.
[0361] As shown, receive module 16-1 operates to receive a data
object co-locate write request. Obtain module 16-2 operates to
obtain a plurality of sets of encoded data slices for a data object
to co-locate. Generate module 16-3 operates to generate a plurality
of sets of slice names for the data object to co-locate based on
another plurality of sets of slice names associated with a data
object to be co-located with. Store module 16-4 operates to store
the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in DS memory using the
generated plurality of sets of slice names for the data object
co-locate.
[0362] As may be used herein, the terms "substantially" and
"approximately" provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its
corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an
industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to
fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component
values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature
variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such
relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent
to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, the term(s)
"operably coupled to", "coupled to", and/or "coupling" includes
direct coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between
items via an intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not
limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and/or a module)
where, for indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify
the information of a signal but may adjust its current level,
voltage level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein,
inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another
element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between
two items in the same manner as "coupled to". As may even further
be used herein, the term "operable to" or "operably coupled to"
indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections,
input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, one or more
its corresponding functions and may further include inferred
coupling to one or more other items. As may still further be used
herein, the term "associated with", includes direct and/or indirect
coupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within
another item. As may be used herein, the term "compares favorably",
indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals,
etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when the
desired relationship is that signal 1 has a greater magnitude than
signal 2, a favorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude
of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2 or when the magnitude
of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1.
[0363] As may also be used herein, the terms "processing module",
"processing circuit", and/or "processing unit" may be a single
processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such a
processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller,
digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit,
field programmable gate array, programmable logic device, state
machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry,
and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/or digital)
based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operational
instructions. The processing module, module, processing circuit,
and/or processing unit may be, or further include, memory and/or an
integrated memory element, which may be a single memory device, a
plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of another
processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing
unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random access
memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,
dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that
stores digital information. Note that if the processing module,
module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more
than one processing device, the processing devices may be centrally
located (e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or
wireless bus structure) or may be distributedly located (e.g.,
cloud computing via indirect coupling via a local area network
and/or a wide area network). Further note that if the processing
module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit
implements one or more of its functions via a state machine, analog
circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory
and/or memory element storing the corresponding operational
instructions may be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry
comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry,
and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memory element
may store, and the processing module, module, processing circuit,
and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operational
instructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/or
functions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memory
device or memory element can be included in an article of
manufacture.
[0364] The present disclosure has been described above with the aid
of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions
and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these
functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily
defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries
and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and
relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate
boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the
claimed disclosure. Further, the boundaries of these functional
building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of
description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the
certain significant functions are appropriately performed.
Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily
defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To
the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence
could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain
significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both
functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences
are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed disclosure. One
of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional
building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and
components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete
components, application specific integrated circuits, processors
executing appropriate software and the like or any combination
thereof.
[0365] The present disclosure may have also been described, at
least in part, in terms of one or more embodiments. An embodiment
of the present disclosure is used herein to illustrate the present
disclosure, an aspect thereof, a feature thereof, a concept
thereof, and/or an example thereof. A physical embodiment of an
apparatus, an article of manufacture, a machine, and/or of a
process that embodies the present disclosure may include one or
more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described
with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein.
Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the
same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may
use the same or different reference numbers and, as such, the
functions, steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar
functions, steps, modules, etc. or different ones.
[0366] While the transistors in the above described figure(s)
is/are shown as field effect transistors (FETs), as one of ordinary
skill in the art will appreciate, the transistors may be
implemented using any type of transistor structure including, but
not limited to, bipolar, metal oxide semiconductor field effect
transistors (MOSFET), N-well transistors, P-well transistors,
enhancement mode, depletion mode, and zero voltage threshold (VT)
transistors.
[0367] Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from,
and/or between elements in a figure of any of the figures presented
herein may be analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time,
and single-ended or differential. For instance, if a signal path is
shown as a single-ended path, it also represents a differential
signal path. Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential
path, it also represents a single-ended signal path. While one or
more particular architectures are described herein, other
architectures can likewise be implemented that use one or more data
buses not expressly shown, direct connectivity between elements,
and/or indirect coupling between other elements as recognized by
one of average skill in the art.
[0368] The term "module" is used in the description of the various
embodiments of the present disclosure. A module includes a
processing module, a functional block, hardware, and/or software
stored on memory for performing one or more functions as may be
described herein. Note that, if the module is implemented via
hardware, the hardware may operate independently and/or in
conjunction software and/or firmware. As used herein, a module may
contain one or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more
modules.
[0369] While particular combinations of various functions and
features of the present disclosure have been expressly described
herein, other combinations of these features and functions are
likewise possible. The present disclosure is not limited by the
particular examples disclosed herein and expressly incorporates
these other combinations.
* * * * *