Comparing mass storage devices through digests that are representative of stored data in order to minimize data transfer
US6085298A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 1, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2201/82
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for comparing mass storage devices. Generally, a mass storage device is subdivided into data blocks representing physical storage locations of some particular size. For each one (or group) of data block(s), a digest is calculated, wherein the digest is an alternate representation of the data stored within the data block(s). A digest is highly dependent on the data it represents such that different data is extremely likely to result in different digests. This high dependence allows for comparing digests rather than directly comparing the data stored at each data block. Furthermore, by calculating a digest that requires fewer bits than the data block(s) it represents, the amount of data that must be transferred between mass storage devices during comparison is minimized.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.