Patent ID: 7869383
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of constructing a network-accessible storage service using a plurality of unaffiliated storage devices, the method comprising: receiving registration requests across a Wide Area Network (WAN) from a plurality of unaffiliated storage devices hosted by geographically-dispersed entities, each registration request offering to associate a storage device with the network-accessible storage service, the plurality of storage devices associated under terms in which there is no service level guarantee of each of the plurality of storage devices; registering the plurality of storage devices with the network-accessible storage service; identifying available storage space on each of the registered plurality of storage devices; and offering access to the identified storage space as a storage service across the WAN to third parties, the identified storage space offered under terms having a service level guarantee for the storage service.