Double write data exchange in a dead drop network architecture

Abstract

A sender uses a double-write protocol to pass data to a recipient using a dead drop network architecture. The sender sends, to a dead drop domain, a data payload to store at the dead drop domain, and receives payload access information corresponding to a payload dead drop where the payload data is stored. The sender sends, to the dead drop domain, one or more instances of metadata including the payload access information to store at the dead drop domain, and receives metadata access information corresponding to one or more metadata dead drops where the metadata is stored. The sender provides the metadata access information to one or more recipients. A recipient uses the metadata access information to read the corresponding metadata dead drop. The recipient then uses the payload access information from the metadata to read the payload dead drop and receive the payload data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling access to a data payload in a dead drop domain comprising a plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a sender and by the dead drop domain comprising the plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, a payload write request requesting to write a data payload to the dead drop domain;   writing the data payload to a payload dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain responsive to the payload write request;   sending payload access information corresponding to the payload dead drop to the sender;   receiving a metadata write request requesting to write metadata to the dead drop domain from the sender, the metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated time-to-live (TTL) information specifying a duration for the metadata to persist in the dead drop domain;   writing the metadata to a metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the metadata persisting at the metadata dead drop for the specified duration; and   sending metadata access information corresponding to the metadata dead drop to the sender.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payload access information comprises a dead drop identifier (DDID) identifying the payload dead drop and a read token associated with the payload dead drop. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second metadata write request requesting to write second metadata to the dead drop domain, the second metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated TTL information specifying a second duration for the second metadata to persist in the dead drop domain;   writing the second metadata to a second metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the second metadata persisting at the second metadata dead drop for the specified second duration, wherein the first and second durations are different; and   sending second metadata access information corresponding to the second metadata dead drop to the sender.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a recipient, the metadata access information, the recipient having received the metadata access information from the sender; and   providing the metadata from the metadata dead drop to the recipient responsive to receiving the metadata access information from the recipient.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request requesting to create the metadata dead drop;   creating the metadata dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the metadata access information responsive to creating the metadata dead drop.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request to create the payload dead drop;   creating the payload dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the payload access information responsive to creating the payload dead drop.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payload dead drop and metadata dead drop are located in different randomly-selected storage nodes of the plurality of storage nodes of the dead drop domain. 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling access to a data payload in a dead drop domain comprising a plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, the system comprising:
 a processor for executing computer program instructions; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable by the processor to perform steps comprising:
 receiving, from a sender and by the dead drop domain comprising the plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, a payload write request requesting to write a data payload to the dead drop domain; 
 writing the data payload to a payload dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain responsive to the payload write request; 
 sending payload access information corresponding to the payload dead drop to the sender; 
 receiving a metadata write request requesting to write metadata to the dead drop domain from the sender, the metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated time-to-live (TTL) information specifying a duration for the metadata to persist in the dead drop domain; 
 writing the metadata to a metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the metadata persisting at the metadata dead drop for the specified duration; and 
 sending metadata access information corresponding to the metadata dead drop to the sender. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the payload access information comprises a dead drop identifier (DDID) identifying the payload dead drop and a read token associated with the payload dead drop. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving a second metadata write request requesting to write second metadata to the dead drop domain, the second metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated TTL information specifying a second duration for the second metadata to persist in the dead drop domain;   writing the second metadata to a second metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the second metadata persisting at the second metadata dead drop for the specified second duration, wherein the first and second durations are different; and   sending second metadata access information corresponding to the second metadata dead drop to the sender.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a recipient, the metadata access information, the recipient having received the metadata access information from the sender; and   providing the metadata from the metadata dead drop to the recipient responsive to receiving the metadata access information from the recipient.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request requesting to create the metadata dead drop;   creating the metadata dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the metadata access information responsive to creating the metadata dead drop.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request to create the payload dead drop;   creating the payload dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the payload access information responsive to creating the payload dead drop.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the payload dead drop and metadata dead drop are located in different randomly-selected storage nodes of the plurality of storage nodes of the dead drop domain. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable by a processor to perform steps for controlling access to a data payload in a dead drip domain comprising a plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, the steps comprising:
 receiving, from a sender and by the dead drop domain comprising the plurality of storage nodes connected by communication links, a payload write request requesting to write a data payload to the dead drop domain;   writing the data payload to a payload dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain responsive to the payload write request;   sending payload access information corresponding to the payload dead drop to the sender;   receiving a metadata write request requesting to write metadata to the dead drop domain from the sender, the metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated time-to-live (TTL) information specifying a duration for the metadata to persist in the dead drop domain;   writing the metadata to a metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the metadata persisting at the metadata dead drop for the specified duration; and   sending metadata access information corresponding to the metadata dead drop to the sender.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the payload access information comprises a dead drop identifier (DDID) identifying the payload dead drop and a read token associated with the payload dead drop. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving a second metadata write request requesting to write second metadata to the dead drop domain, the second metadata comprising the payload access information and having associated TTL information specifying a second duration for the second metadata to persist in the dead drop domain;   writing the second metadata to a second metadata dead drop on a storage node in the dead drop domain, the second metadata persisting at the second metadata dead drop for the specified second duration, wherein the first and second durations are different; and   sending second metadata access information corresponding to the second metadata dead drop to the sender.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request requesting to create the metadata dead drop;   creating the metadata dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the metadata access information responsive to creating the metadata dead drop.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the steps further comprising:
 receiving, by the dead drop domain and from the sender, a create request to create the payload dead drop;   creating the payload dead drop on a node of the dead drop domain responsive to the create request; and   creating the payload access information responsive to creating the payload dead drop.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the payload dead drop and metadata dead drop are located in different randomly-selected storage nodes of the plurality of storage nodes of the dead drop domain.