Router assisted dispersed storage network method and apparatus
View Patent ↗A method begins by a router receiving a data packet and determining a destination of the data packet. The method continues with the router determining whether the router has an affiliation with the destination. The method continues with the router determining whether to temporarily locally store the data packet when the router has the affiliation with the destination. The method continues with the router locally storing the data packet and forwarding the data packet to the destination in accordance with a transfer protocol when the determination to temporarily locally store the data packet is favorable.
1. A method for execution by a router, the method comprises:
receiving a data object of data;
determining whether the data object is to be forwarded to another router, stored locally, or dispersed storage error encoded;
when the data object is to be stored locally, storing the data object in a local memory of the router;
when the data object is to be dispersed storage error encoded:
dispersed storage error encoding a data segment of the data object to produce a set of encoded data slices;
determining routing paths for at least some of the encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices; and
forwarding the at least some of the encoded data slices based on the corresponding routing paths; and
when the data object is to be forwarded to another router:
determining the other router; and
sending the data object to the other router.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
receiving the data object from a source associated with a source identifier (ID) or from yet another router.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the data object is to be forwarded to another router, stored locally, or dispersed storage error encoded comprises:
making the determination based on one or more of the data, metadata, a command, a predetermination, a lookup, and a message.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the routing paths for at least some of the encoded data slices further comprises:
accessing a routing table; and
determining the routing paths based on entries of the routing table.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the other router comprises:
accessing a routing table; and
determining the other router based on the routing table.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data object comprises:
an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices of a data segment of data.
7. A router comprises:
an interface;
a memory; and
a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the memory, wherein the processing module is operable to:
receive, via the interface, a data object of data;
determine whether the data object is to be forwarded to another router, stored locally, or dispersed storage error encoded;
when the data object is to be stored locally, store the data object in the memory;
when the data object is to be dispersed storage error encoded:
dispersed storage error encode a data segment of the data object to produce a set of encoded data slices;
determine routing paths for at least some of the encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices; and
forward, via the interface, the at least some of the encoded data slices based on the corresponding routing paths; and
when the data object is to be forwarded to another router:
determine the other router; and
send, via the interface, the data object to the other router.
8. The router of claim 7 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:
receive, via the interface, the data object from a source associated with a source identifier (ID) or from yet another router.
9. The router of claim 7 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine whether the data object is to be forwarded to another router, stored locally, or dispersed storage error encoded by:
making the determination based on one or more of the data, metadata, a command, a predetermination, a lookup, and a message.
10. The router of claim 7 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the routing paths for at least some of the encoded data slices further by:
accessing a routing table; and
determining the routing paths based on entries of the routing table.
11. The router of claim 7 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the other router by:
accessing a routing table; and
determining the other router based on the routing table.
12. The router of claim 7 , wherein the data object comprises:
an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices of a data segment of data.