Patent ID: 8826023

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving information to be stored in a storage system, wherein the information is received from a storage system client by a storage controller; generating a combined value of the information and a secret value, wherein the secret value is combined with each item of a plurality of items of information stored by the storage system, the generating the combined value is performed according to a specified algorithm, and the specified algorithm combines the information with the secret value, wherein combining the information with the secret value modifies the information such that the combined value is produced and the combined value hashes to a different value than the information; generating a key, wherein the key identifies the information, the key facilitates retrieval of the information by the storage system client, the key is algorithmically dependent upon the secret value and the information, the generating the key comprises the storage controller applying a hash algorithm to the combined value of the information and the secret value, the secret value is unknown by the storage system client, and the secret value is associated with the storage system; generating mapping information to map the key to a corresponding location in the storage system; storing the key and the information identified by the key in the storage system, wherein the information identified by the key is stored in the corresponding location, as indicated by the mapping information; returning the key to the storage system client in response to the generating the key, wherein the returning the key to the storage system client enables the storage system client to use the key to retrieve the information from the storage system, by virtue of the key being mapped to the corresponding location; and subsequent to the returning the key, receiving a request from the storage system client to access the information, wherein the request to access the information comprises the key.