Managed peer-to-peer content backup service system and method using dynamic content dispersal to plural storage nodes

Abstract

Systems, method, computer program stored on computer readable media, and business method for providing and operating a distributed network based secure storage of business or consumer digital data or content. System, method, computer program stored on computer readable media and business model for dynamically managed peer-to-peer media content backup that uses a plurality of subscriber personal computer based storage devices to store backups of other subscriber data in a manner that is secure and redundant.

1 . A server computer for operating a distributed data storage system having data security, redundancy, and retrieval features, the server including:
 a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;   a network communications interface for coupling the server computer to a network;   a database for storing data pertaining to the distributed storage in the distributed data storage system and coupled to or coupleable with the processor;   a network node reliability monitor for monitoring the reliability of the plurality of nodes on which the data is stored and for generating storage node reliability information; and   an information dispersal and control unit for initially dispersing data for backup storage to a plurality of network storage nodes and for dynamically redispersing the data over time according to the storage node reliability information.   
   
   
       2 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises data associated with a plurality of different users. 
   
   
       3 . A server computer as in  claim 2 , wherein the data comprises a file, a portion of a file, or block of data, and wherein the information dispersal and control unit uses an information dispersal algorithm that to segment the file, the portion of a file, or the block of data to redundantly distribute the data to a plurality of storage nodes on the network. 
   
   
       4 . A server computer as in  claim 3 , wherein the storage nodes comprises hard disc drives on user personal computers coupled to an Internet network. 
   
   
       5 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the server provides strong security including separation of user data and user key information, the user never having access to its user key which is only stored on the management server, the server never storing the original raw user data, and the data storage nodes never having access to all the user data or user keys. 
   
   
       6 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the data stored on the storage nodes is encrypted. 
   
   
       7 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the database defines a data structure for a nodes table, a users table, a user key table, a files table, a password hash table, and a file backups storage vector table. 
   
   
       8 . A server computer as in  claim 7 , wherein the database further defines a data structure for a tags table, a tag files table, a shares table, and a file objects table. 
   
   
       9 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , further including means for compressing the data to be backed up on the storage nodes. 
   
   
       10 . A server computer as in  claim 1 , further including means for encrypting the data to be backed up on the storage nodes. 
   
   
       11 . A system for operating a distributed data storage system having data security, redundancy, and retrieval features, the system comprising:
 a server computer including:
 a processor and a memory coupled to the processor; 
 a network communications interface for coupling the server computer to a network; 
 a database for storing data pertaining to the distributed storage in the distributed data storage system and coupled to or coupleable with the processor; 
 a network node reliability monitor for monitoring the reliability of the plurality of nodes on which the data is stored and for generating storage node reliability information; and 
 an information dispersal and control unit for initially dispersing data for backup storage to a plurality of network storage nodes and for dynamically redispersing the data over time according to the storage node reliability information; and 
   a plurality of user nodes at least a first one of the nodes including a first user interface adapted for a first user to identify a data set for backup storage and at least a second and third different ones of the nodes adapted for storage of a portion of the first user data to be backed up.   
   
   
       12 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the data comprises data associated with a plurality of different users. 
   
   
       13 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the data comprises a file, a portion of a file, or block of data, and wherein the information dispersal and control unit uses an information dispersal algorithm that to segment the file, the portion of a file, or the block of data to redundantly distribute the data to a plurality of storage nodes on the network. 
   
   
       14 . A system as in  claim 13 , wherein the storage nodes comprises hard disc drives on user personal computers coupled to an Internet network. 
   
   
       15 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the server provides strong security including separation of user data and user key information, the user never having access to its user key which is only stored on the management server, the server never storing the original raw user data, and the data storage nodes never having access to all the user data or user keys. 
   
   
       16 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the data stored on the storage nodes is encrypted. 
   
   
       17 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the database defines a data structure for a nodes table, a users table, a user key table, a files table, a password hash table, and a file backups storage vector table. 
   
   
       18 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein the database further defines a data structure for a tags table, a tag files table, a shares table, and a file objects table. 
   
   
       19 . A system as in  claim 11 , further including means for compressing the data to be backed up on the storage nodes. 
   
   
       20 . A system as in  claim 11 , further including means for encrypting the data to be backed up on the storage nodes. 
   
   
       21 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first user interface comprises a personal computer coupled to the server by a persistent or intermittent network communication link. 
   
   
       22 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the at least a second and third different ones of the nodes adapted for storage of a portion of the first user data to be backed up comprise personal computers at different locations each having at least one storage device for storing the first user data. 
   
   
       23 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one storage device comprises a hard disc drive storage device of a personal computer. 
   
   
       24 . A method for maintaining reliable distributed storage on a network comprising a plurality of data storage nodes, the method comprising:
 dispersing the data to data storage nodes according to the current dispersement strategy;   monitoring and verifying the continued reliability of each peer storage node on which a user data is stored;   determining if a storage node has become unavailable or unreliable; and   redispersing the data to different storage nodes if it is determined that a storage node has become unreliable, and maintaining the current data dispersement if the storage nodes on which the data is stored are not determined to be unreliable.   
   
   
       25 . A business method for generating monetary revenues from a distributed data storage system service having data security, redundancy, and retrieval features, the method comprising:
 providing a managed consumer backup service to a consumer without a user fee in exchange for the user providing storage for at least one other different user data;   presenting advertisements to a user when the user interacts with the storage system service; and   collecting revenues from the entities placing the advertisements.   
   
   
       26 . A business method as in  claim 25 , further comprising collecting revenues from product and/or service partners associated with the storage system service.