Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Tip your server.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                     

Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.

P2P File System

Secure Distributed File System
  (+5)
(+5)
  [vote for,
against]

Imagine a file system with seemingly limitless space, that can be accessed from anywhere securely. Imagine a network not about file sharing, but instead resource sharing. Imagine a P2P Secure Distributed file system, like SETI@HOME in the business of storing your files instead of searching for ET.

The system would involve a small app that runs on your desktop and accepts a certain amount of data that others have added to the network. From that app you could also post data to the network. For example if you were to upload a 60 MB video file from your digital camera, it would be split up into 60 pieces to be stored on around 600 different computers (10 available copies of each piece). Each would be encrypted with your password and would be tagged with your user name so that no one else could access them.

But what about storage limits? Well users would gain points for the amount they allow to be stored, the amount of uptime they provide, and the amount of bandwidth they allow to be transferred. The more they give to the network, the more they'll get out of it.

There would have to be a central authority in charge of handling the base metadata, and perhaps providing a cluster of P2PFS servers for added redundancy and guaranteed network uptime. But beyond that it would all depend on the users of the network. Like SETI@HOME, the machines would dedicate more resources when idle.

Linux versions could be made to boot off live CDs, and run off RAM for computers that desire to be dedicated to the task without wasting ANY HD space for overhead.

See link for more technical details and a description of my inspiration.

spudge, Jul 17 2006

More technical details... http://p2psdfs.blog...stributed-file.html
Link to original posting of idea [spudge, Jul 17 2006]

Freenet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freenet
baked [BunsenHoneydew, Jul 18 2006]

Inferno http://en.wikipedia...operating_system%29
baked [BunsenHoneydew, Jul 18 2006]

Plan 9 from Bell Labs http://en.wikipedia...s#Union_Directories
baked [BunsenHoneydew, Jul 18 2006]

Secret sharing http://en.wikipedia...wiki/Secret_sharing
[xaviergisz, Aug 22 2006]

Tahoe LAFS https://tahoe-lafs.org/trac/tahoe-lafs
Tahoe-LAFS is a Free and Open cloud storage system. It distributes your data across multiple servers. Even if some of the servers fail or are taken over by an attacker, the entire filesystem continues to function correctly, including preservation of your privacy and security. [fho, Nov 18 2011]

[link]






       We need this. +
jmvw, Jul 17 2006
  

       Is data storage really so expensive (and bandwidth so cheap) that it would be practical to implement this?   

       Also, there are plenty of online storage services available (google offers at least a few gig for free) which seems to make this somewhat redundant.   

       I suppose this system could be useful for security reasons (i.e. data not in one easy-to-steal location).
xaviergisz, Jul 17 2006
  

       Another added benefit is the redundancy, and universal availability.   

       As far as other services. Gmail offers storage only 10 MB at a time, and doesn't allow all file types without screwing around with it first. Plus, as my blog notes, Gmail lacks the sheer geek factor that a P2P system would have.
spudge, Jul 17 2006
  

       I know i am years too late ... but this has been baked since 2005. See tahoe-lafs link.
fho, Nov 18 2011
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle