Data storage goes on the Net
Data storage goes on the Net
Disaster recovery and back up dominate storage speak at the moment and to many, the last place they would consider using as a storage media is the Internet, but CSIRO has announced that it is researching technologies that will provide just that.
In an announcement made last week, CSIRO said that it has developed the prototype of a storage system on the Internet that enables partners to store, collaborate and to create "virtual enterprises"
The technology works by breaking a data file into a series of encrypted fragments, which cannot be deleted. These are then replicated across the Internet and stored on a variety of storage servers. CSIRO said that no single server keeps the information of the original data or how to recreate it. This, they believe will keep the data secure. To retrieve the data, end users must be authorised and will be given an authorisation key. The key will collect the data from the sources and deliver it to the end user.
CSIRO said the storage system is the storage part of Grid computing over advanced networks. "A consequence of this is that businesses can use the Internet to form short lived "virtual enterprises" to meet the needs of a single project or contract." Although seeing that Internet data storage will be shunned by some, CSIRO said that the advantages include; easier collaboration, data is available even if one of the storage servers is shut down, they claim it is highly secure and tamper proof. A prototype has already been built and the scientific organisation is testing the system's distribution, retrieval and data security abilities.
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