Patent Abstract:
According to the present invention, there is provided a system for securing data with a storage system. The system includes at least one storage device. In addition, the system includes a security mechanism for recognizing an attempt to insert or remove the storage device. Moreover, the system includes a management unit to control the insertion and removal of the storage device.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This present invention relates generally to data security, and, in particular, to securing data within a system such that the data cannot be contaminated, lost, or leaked from the system even when data storage devices such as disk drives are removed from or added to the system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Storage systems are utilized to process and store sensitive data. This sensitive data includes medical records, financial data and even details of weapons simulations. Such data must be securely managed so that it is not contaminated, lost, or improperly leaked. Currently, such data is stored on data storage devices (e.g., disk drives) which tend to be readily replaceable to facilitate repair, failure, and migration to faster, cheaper and larger devices. 
         [0003]    The ability to remove devices from the system means that data in the system could become vulnerable when a device is removed. This vulnerability could increase the risk of privacy law violations and/or increase the likelihood that sensitive data will be released. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, when storage devices are removed improperly, data stored in the system could be lost. For example, if two disks are removed from a RAID-5 disk array, the data stored in the array will be lost. The removal could be done out of malice or human error. In either case the resulting cost can be enormous. A typical ten hour restore from backup could cost millions of dollars, and cause serious harm to a company. 
         [0005]    Moreover, inserting devices into a system could introduce contamination such as foreign data and even viruses. For example, in a system that enforces the WORM (Write Once Read Many) property on rewritable disks, allowing the disks to be removed and inserted back into the system could circumvent the enforcement of the WORM property and cause the system to become contaminated with rewritten data. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the present invention, there is provided a system for securing data with a storage system. The system includes at least one storage device. In addition, the system includes a security mechanism for recognizing an attempt to insert or remove the storage device. Moreover, the system includes a management unit to control the insertion and removal of the storage device. 
         [0007]    Also, according to the present invention, there is provided a method for securing data within a storage system. The method includes recognizing an attempt to insert or remove a storage device from a storage system. In addition, the method includes controlling the insertion and removal of the storage device form the storage system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a storage system 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of attempting to insert storage device into storage system 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of attempting to remove storage device from storage system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]    The invention will be described primarily as a system and method for securing data within a storage system. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
         [0012]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that an apparatus, such as a data processing system, including a CPU, memory, I/O, program storage, a connecting bus and other appropriate components could be programmed or otherwise designed to facilitate the practice of the invention. Such a system would include appropriate program means for executing the operations of the invention. 
         [0013]    An article of manufacture, such as a pre-recorded disk or other similar computer program product for use with a data processing system, could include a storage medium and program means recorded thereon for directing the data processing system to facilitate the practice of the method of the invention. Such apparatus and articles of manufacture also fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0014]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a storage system  10  is shown. Storage system  10  can include a plurality of storage devices  12 . In one embodiment, storage device  12  is a disk drive. Each storage device  12  is associated with a locking mechanism  14 . Storage system  10  includes storage management controller  16 . Storage management controller  16  includes security monitoring unit  18 , data monitoring unit  20 , and initialization unit  22 . 
         [0015]    Storage management controller  16  is responsible for controlling the insertion and removal of storage device  12 . Security monitoring unit  18  is responsible for recognizing and attempt to insert or remove a storage device  12  from storage system  10 . 
         [0016]    Storage system  10  includes storage device slots  23 , where each storage device slot  23  houses one storage device  12 . In the exemplary embodiment, storage device  12  is a disk drive. 
         [0017]    In an alternate embodiment, storage management controller  16  includes a failure and prediction unit. The failure and prediction unit determines the impact on storage system  10  if storage device  12  is removed. The failure and prediction unit prevents the removal of storage device  12  if it determines that the removal would have a negative impact on storage system  10 , where negative impact includes imminent failure of hardware components or software within the storage system. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method  24  of attempting to insert storage device  12  into storage system  10 . At block  26 , method  24  begins. 
         [0019]    At block  28 , an attempt to insert storage device  12  into storage system  10  is recognized. The attempt is recognized by security monitoring unit  16 . 
         [0020]    At block  30 , storage device  12  is locked into position. Storage device  12  is locked into position by locking mechanism  14 . Locking mechanisms are associated with each of the storage device slots  23 . Locking mechanism  14  is moved into position after storage device  12  has been inserted into storage device slot  23 , to prevent removal of storage device  12 . In the exemplary embodiment, locking mechanism  14  is automatically engaged upon the insertion of storage device  12 . 
         [0021]    At block  32 , storage device  12  is initialized. Storage device  12  is not accessible for reading or writing until it has been initialized. In the exemplary embodiment, initializing the storage device comprises removing all existing data resident on storage device  12  and filling storage device  12  with a predetermined bit pattern. In an alternate embodiment, initializing storage device  12  includes resetting the state of storage device  12  to its initial factory value. In a further alternate embodiment, initializing storage device  12  includes populating storage device  12  with legitimate data currently stored in storage system  10 . For example, if a storage device  12  is inserted to replace another storage device  12  in a RAID-5 array, it s initialization would include rebuilding the appropriate data on the inserted storage device  12 . 
         [0022]    At block  34 , storage device  12  is made available for reading and writing. 
         [0023]    At block  36 , method  24  ends. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method  38  of attempting to remove storage device  12  from storage system  10 . At block  40 , method  38  begins. 
         [0025]    At block  42  an attempt to remove storage device  12  from storage system  10  is recognized. 
         [0026]    At block  44  a determination is made as to whether permission to remove storage device  12  has been granted. If no, then at block  45  permission is denied. In one embodiment, a password is required before permission to remove storage device  12  is granted. 
         [0027]    At block  48 , a determination is made as to whether a copy of data contained within storage device  12  will remain in storage system  10 , if storage device  12  is removed. If no, then at block  50  a copy of the data is made and stored within storage system  10 . If yes, then at block  52 , storage device  12  is initialized. 
         [0028]    At block  54 , locking mechanism  14  associated with storage device  12  is disengaged to allow for the removal of storage device  12 . 
         [0029]    At block  56 , method  38  ends. 
         [0030]    In an alternative embodiment, storage device  12  may not be removed unless the resulting degree of fault tolerance in storage system  10  remains the same. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described using a disk drive as a sample data storage device, it should be apparent that the invention applies to other types of storage devices and to combinations of these devices. These devices include but are not limited to tapes, CDs, DVDs, flash memory, Smart Cards, etc. It should also be apparent that different mechanisms can be used to prevent a device from being removed from the system.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6