IP Library Granted Patent US 9,913,409
Granted Patent B2
US 9,913,409 · App. 15/167,808 · Granted Mar 6, 2018

Intrusion detection for submerged datacenters

Inventors: Benjamin F. Cutler (Seattle, WA); Norman Ashton Whitaker (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
H05K7/20836A01K29/005A01K67/033F24F5/0046F25D1/02F28D1/022F28D15/00G06F21/554G08B13/2491H05K7/1495H05K7/1497H05K7/2079H05K7/20236H05K7/20709F28D2021/0028G06F2221/034
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,913,409
App. No.
15/167,808
Granted
Mar 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Examples of the disclosure provide a datacenter configured for operation while submerged in water. The datacenter includes one or more physically separable modules. The datacenter also includes an intrusion detection system that has one or more intrusion detection modules.

Claims (49)

1. A system comprising:

an intrusion detection system coupled to a datacenter configured for operation while submerged in water, the datacenter comprising one or more physically separable modules, the intrusion detection system comprising one or more intrusion detection modules configured to detect underwater intrusion attempts directed towards the datacenter while submerged in the water, the one or more intrusion detection modules further configured to:

responsive to a detection of an intrusion into the datacenter submerged in the water, triggering an alert for network operations;

broadcasting warnings into a surrounding environment;

ceasing network traffic;

failing over to a geo-replicated copy of the datacenter; and

permanently rendering local data of the datacenter inaccessible by flooding the datacenter submerged in the water.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a power generator, coupled to at least one of the datacenter or the intrusion detection system, that generates power from the movement of the water or air.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an energy storage module, coupled to the datacenter, that stores energy for use by the datacenter.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a compound module comprising two or more of the following: a datacenter module, a power generator module, and a power storage module.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more intrusion detection modules further comprise one or more intrusion detection sensors.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more intrusion detection modules include at least one of a camera, an accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a magnetometer, a water pressure sensor, a hydrophone, a sonar device, or a laser.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more intrusion detection modules are coupled directly to the one or more physically separable modules of the datacenter.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intrusion detection system includes a perimeter barrier.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more intrusion detection modules is coupled to the perimeter barrier.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more intrusion detection modules include at least one of an acoustic sensor, a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, or a fiber network integrity sensor.

11. In a computing environment, a method for detecting intrusion into a datacenter submerged in water, the method performed at least in part on a processor, the method comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of a hydrophone or a sonar device;

determining whether an anomaly is detected using the received data;

responsive to a determination that the anomaly is detected, identifying the anomaly;

determining whether the identified anomaly indicates an underwater intrusion;

responsive to a determination that the detected anomaly is not an intrusion indication, outputting a change detection notice;

responsive to a determination that the detected anomaly indicates the underwater intrusion, initiating a search for the underwater intrusion;

ceasing network traffic;

failing over to a geo-replicated copy of the datacenter; and

permanently rendering local data of the datacenter inaccessible by flooding the datacenter submerged in the water.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the anomaly further comprises:

identifying a change in the environment by a distinct observation.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the anomaly further comprises:

identifying a change in connectivity of the datacenter to a network.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the data from the plurality of sensors further comprises:

receiving the data from one or more intrusion detection modules of an intrusion detection system associated with the datacenter.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the data from the plurality of sensors further comprises:

receiving the data from one or more datacenter modules.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the data from the plurality of sensors further comprises:

receiving the data from one or more remote facilities, including publicly accessible ocean or weather sensors or reports, or Automatic Identification System (AIS) reports.

17. In a computing environment, a method for performing protective actions upon detection of an intrusion into a datacenter submerged in water, the method performed at least in part on a processor, the method comprising one or more of:

triggering an alert for network operations;

broadcasting warnings into a surrounding environment;

ceasing network traffic;

failing over to a geo-replicated copy of the datacenter; and

permanently rendering local data of the datacenter inaccessible by flooding the datacenter submerged in the water.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein broadcasting the warnings into the surrounding environment further comprises:

broadcasting the warnings into surrounding water of the datacenter using an acoustic emissions component.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein further rendering the data inaccessible further comprises:

ignoring all network traffic pending receipt of a special sequence of packets.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2016
From: CUTLER, BENJAMIN F.; WHITAKER, NORMAN ASHTON
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 039925/0243 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14752669 · Jun 26, 2015
Continuation 14752676 · Jun 26, 2015
Provisional Application 62286961 · Jan 25, 2016
Provisional Application 62286964 · Jan 25, 2016
Related Publication 20160378981A1 · Dec 29, 2016