In-band detection mechanism for detecting intermediate layer in a storage I/O driver stack
US8826041B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2011 |
| Grant date | Sep 2, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2221/2107
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system shares encryption-related metadata between layers of a storage I/O stack. Additionally, a detection mechanism ensures that certain layers within the storage I/O stack are present and cooperate with a particular protocol. Along these lines, functional components engage in an in-band communications protocol, such as a data encryption key (DEK) management protocol. The in-band communications protocol employs protocol commands and responses carried along the data path as contents of in-band transport messages and responses, such as special SCSI read commands and their responses. The protocol commands and responses include a handshake command and a handshake response used during an initial handshake operation. Each protocol command and response has a protocol signature field carrying one of distinct first and second signature values which are used to identify the presence of the protocol command or response in the transport messages and responses at different locations along the data path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.