Ip multicast address generation and subscription

Abstract

A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins, when processing a slice request of one or more encoded data slices associated with a vault within the DSN, by identifying a multicast IP address associated with the vault. The method continues by generating a multicast IP message. The method continues by sending the multicast IP message to a plurality of storage units of the DSN. The method continues by extracting, by each storage unit receiving the multicast IP message, the multicast IP address. The method continues, when the extracted IP address compares favorably to a subscribed IP address, by processing the slice request for one or more encoded data slices and the corresponding slice name for each encoded data where the processing the slice request of one or more encoded data slices includes one or more of: storing a received encoded data slice when receiving a write slice request or issuing a read slice response that includes a retrieved encoded data slice when receiving a read slice request.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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:
 when processing a slice request for one or more encoded data slices associated with a vault within the DSN, identifying a multicast IP address associated with the vault;   generating a multicast IP message;   sending the multicast IP message to a plurality of storage units of the DSN;   extracting, by each storage unit of the plurality of storage units of the DSN receiving the multicast IP message, the multicast IP address;   when the extracted multicast IP address compares favorably to a subscribed multicast IP address, processing the slice request of one or more encoded data slices including a corresponding slice name for each encoded data slice; and   wherein the processing a slice request of one or more encoded data slices includes one of: storing a received encoded data slice when receiving a write slice request, or issuing a read slice response that includes a retrieved encoded data slice when receiving a read slice request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the each storage units subscribes to multiple multicast groups. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the each storage units receives all of the multicast IP messages, but filters out all but subscribed multicast IP addresses. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the filters out all but subscribed multicast IP addresses includes filtering by one or more of: vault ID, an object ID, or a slice name range. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multicast IP message includes the multicast IP address, one or more encoded data slices, and, for each encoded data slice, a corresponding slice name. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying includes one or more of:
 assigning, interpreting system registry information, interpreting a query response, or interpreting a multicast IP address subscription.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing includes transmitting the multicast IP message via a network to the plurality of storage units. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the extracting includes one or more of:
 identifying a multicast IP address field of the multicast IP message or retrieving the multicast IP address from the identified multicast IP address field.   
     
     
         9 . A computing device of a group of computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the computing device comprises:
 an interface;   a local memory; and   a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the local memory, wherein the processing module functions to:
 when processing a slice request for one or more encoded data slices associated with a vault within the DSN, identify a multicast IP address associated with the vault; 
 generate a multicast IP message; 
 send the multicast IP message to a plurality of storage units of the DSN; 
 extract, by each storage unit of the plurality of storage units of the DSN receiving the multicast IP message, the multicast IP address; 
 when the extracted multicast IP address compares favorably to a subscribed multicast IP address, process the slice request of one or more encoded data slices and a corresponding slice name for each encoded data slice; and 
 wherein the processing a slice request of one or more encoded data slices includes one of: store a received encoded data slice when receiving a write slice request, or issue a read slice response that includes a retrieved encoded data slice when receiving a read slice request. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the each storage units subscribes to multiple multicast groups. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the each storage units receives all of the multicast IP messages, but filters out all but subscribed multicast IP addresses. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the filters out all but subscribed multicast IP addresses includes filtering by one or more of: vault ID, an object ID, or a slice name range. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the multicast IP message includes the multicast IP address, one or more encoded data slices, and, for each encoded data slice, a corresponding slice name. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the identifying includes one or more of: assigning, interpreting system registry information, interpreting a query response, or interpreting a multicast IP address subscription. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing includes transmitting the multicast IP message via a network to the plurality of storage units. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the extracting includes one or more of: identifying a multicast IP address field of the multicast IP message or retrieving the multicast IP address from the identified multicast IP address field. 
     
     
         17 . 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:
 when storing data associated with a vault of the DSN, identifying, by a distributed storage and task (DST) processing unit, a multicast IP address associated with the vault;   generating, by the DST processing unit, a multicast IP message that includes the multicast IP address, one or more encoded data slices for storage, and, for each encoded data slice, a corresponding slice name;   sending, by the DST processing unit, the multicast IP message, via a network, to a plurality of storage units of the DSN;   extracting, by each storage unit receiving the multicast IP message, the multicast IP address; and   when the extracted IP address compares favorably to a subscribed IP address, storing, by the storage unit, the one or more encoded data slices for storage and the corresponding slice name for each encoded data slice.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the identifying includes one or more of:
 assigning, interpreting system registry information, interpreting a query response, or interpreting a multicast IP address subscription.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the extracting includes one or more of:
 identifying a multicast IP address field of the multicast IP message or retrieving the multicast IP address from the identified multicast IP address field.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the storage units can selectively choose well known and reserved vault names and object names to minimize a number of IP multicast addresses generated and an amount of subscription messages one or more of the each storage units subscribes to multiple multicast groups.