FAQs
FAQ Questions
General FAQs
- 1 What is the difference between Cleversafe.org and Cleversafe.com?
- 2 Why did Cleversafe decide to open source the Dispersed Storage software?
- 3 Why the GPL Open Source license?
- 4 How do I purchase support?
- 5 What is Cleversafe, Inc.?
- 6 What is the difference between the open source software and the commercial product being offered by Cleversafe, Inc.?
- 7 How can I use my current software application with Cleversafe?
- 8 Where is the roadmap?
- 10 I have a topic for the blog, can i post?
Architecture FAQs
- 2 What is the threshold associated to the dsNet width?
- 3 Why is the data encrypted?
-
4 Can anyone read my data except person having the specific credentials to do so?
-
5 Is the reconstruction process limited by storage server speed?
-
6 Do the data pieces travel through a central Cleversafe server before going to storage?
- 7 How can I figure out the availability of my dsNet?
Installation FAQs
Participation/Contribution FAQs
Known issues
General FAQs
What is the difference between Cleversafe.org and Cleversafe.com?
Cleversafe.org is the website for the community of people who are developing open source dispersed storage software. Read more about the history of this community on this page under About Cleversafe.org. Cleversafe.com is the website for Cleversafe, Inc., the company providing commercial dispersed storage software and services.
Why did Cleversafe decide to open source the Dispersed Storage software?
Cleversafe, Inc., decided to open source the initial release of dispersed storage software for several reasons. Open source or dual-licensing of software provides many advantages over closed, proprietary software development (see www.opensource.org).Open source enables comprehensive development of all types of applications and environments with dispersed storage. For example, effective security software is based on software that has been reviewed by a global community of security experts rather than just a few developers of proprietary software within one company. Similarly, in order for the world to accept and engage the benefits of dispersed storage, the technology needs to be utilized in the way that TCP/IP represents an open technology in order for the world to reap the benefits of the Internet.
Why the GPL Open Source license?
The General Public License is the most widely used open source license and it is already in use at most organizations. By selecting the GPL, we knew most people were already familiar with the license and most organizations had already approved its use.
How do I purchase support?
Cleversafe, Inc., will soon be selling support for Dispersed Storage as well as other commercial products for building and managing dispersed storage Dispersed Storage Network (dsNet).
Cleversafe, Inc., is the company providing commercial dispersed storage software and services and is the initial sponsor of the Dispersed Storage open source project. More information on the company can be found at cleversafe.com.
What is the difference between the open source software and the commercial product being offered by Cleversafe, Inc.?
Cleversafe, Inc., employs many of the developers that contribute to the Dispersed Storage project. In addition, Cleversafe, Inc., is developing additional software that will be a part of commercial releases. These commercial products will be available from Cleversafe, Inc., under a commercial license that will vary in cost based on support and storage capacity requirements. Generally, the product that Cleversafe, Inc., plans to develop for its commercial release will be designed for managing larger, commercial Dispersed Storage Network (dsNet).
How can I use my current software application with Cleversafe?
The Cleversafe Dispersed Storage Network (dsNet) appears as a block level
device. In theory it is designed to work with any application. If you have
successfully integrated the dsNet with your application, we want to hear about
it - please fill out an Implementation Report.
Where is the roadmap?
We are working on it. It should be coming soon.
I have a topic for the blog, can i post?
Blog posts can only be done internally. However, you can let us know about it and we will post it for you! You can inform us through forums.
Architecture FAQs
What is the maximum Dispersed Storage Network (dsNet) width?
The maximum dsNet width is 256 based on the current implementation of our IDA. The maximum width Cleversafe has tested extensively is 16. To learn more about a dsNet width please consult the Glossary.
What is the threshold associated to the dsNet width?
The threshold for a 16 wide desNet can be either 10 or 12. To learn more about thresholds please consult the Glossary.
Why is data encrypted?
The IDA splits data into multiple pieces, each of which is smaller than the original file, this process is not “cryptographically” secure, meaning some information is contained in each slice and leaks details about the original file content. Therefore, to prevent this information leak one’s data will be encrypted AND dispersed, additionally the data can be “transposed” before going though the IDA which ensures that no contiguous encrypted data appears in any of the slices.
Can anyone read my data except person having the specific credentials to do so?
Even if one had your encryption key, i.e. could decrypt the data, the fact that each slice by itself contains no contiguous encrypted blocks makes it impossible to decrypt without having both the encryption key and a threshold number of slices. The encryption keys or digital signature keys used by an account are stored for each vault. By specific credentials, we mean access to login to the account and access to the encryption keys (if encryption is used).
Is the reconstruction process limited by storage server speed?
The benefit of dispersal is that even if one or multiple servers are under-performing then the client can stop pulling data from that server and instead get slices from a different server. So the dsNet doesn’t perform at the speed of the slowest server but rather the fastest 12 of 16 servers (in a 16 wide, threshold 12 configuration).
Do the data pieces travel through a central Cleversafe server before going to storage?
NO. All dispersal is done at the client side.
How can I figure out the availability of my dsNet?
We will soon be placing a calculator on our website which calculates the expected availability of a dsNet given the width, threshold, and individual node reliability.
Installation FAQs
What are the installation methods?
Depending on the number of machines you have available your installation can vary. Check the infrastructure page to figure out the method that fits you.
What are the hardware requirements?
Please check the What You Need section.
What are the software requirements?
Please check the What You Need section.
How do I configure a dsNet?
A dsNet can be configured after installation by following the instructions inside the different configuration files: dsgrid-iscsi.conf, dsgrid-server.conf, slice-servers.conf. These files are located on your machine after the installation is complete.
Participation/Contribution FAQs
How do I participate?
To know more about participation, please consult the How to Participate section.
What is the development platform?
You can find all needed information under the Developer Resources section.
How do I submit code?
I code can be submitted through a patch to either fix a bug or enhance a feature.
How do I get answers?
You can get answers by searching the existing forums content or adding your question in the appropriate one. You can also send an email through the Contact Us page.
Do you want to hear about my implementation?
Yes! Please let us know about it by filling out the Implementation Report.
How often do you plan to post updates?
Updates are posted every 2 weeks.
Known issues
Can I install the iscsi initiator and the target on the same machine?
Yes but this will not work for copying large files.
Is there a way to test the dsNet without having the necessary hardware?
You can either install everything on virtual machines or wait for an available Research Dispersed Storage Network (dsNet) that we are working on providing soon.
