ACHIEVING STORAGE EFFICIENCY IN PRESENCE OF END-TO-END ENCRYPTION USING DOWNSTREAM DECRYPTERS

摘要

Embodiments of the invention relate to efficiently storing encrypted data in persistent storage or passing to another data processing component. A downstream decrypter is utilized to act within the data path between a data generator and a storage server. The decrypter fetches an encryption key and any other necessary auxiliary information necessary to decrypt received data. Following decryption of the data, the decrypter has the ability to operate directly on plaintext and perform storage efficiency functions on the decrypted data. The decrypter re-encrypts the data prior to the data leaving the decrypter for persistent storage to maintain the security of the encrypted data.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
a decrypter receiving at least one data block of ciphertext for storage, the received data block encrypted with a key; instantiating an encryption algorithm for the received data block of ciphertext, including obtaining the key to decrypt the received block; decrypting the at least one block of ciphertext to a non-encrypted data block the decrypting employing the obtained key; performing one or more data functions to the non-encrypted data block; and re-encrypting the decrypted data block with the key prior to the re-encrypted data leaving the decrypter.