CAREER: Reliability in Large-Scale Storage

随着大规模分布式存储系统、云计算和商业数据存储应用的出现，人们对数据存储可靠性问题中的编码和信息理论重新产生了兴趣。在大型网络数据库中，更快的更新和快速修复需求必须与可靠的数据存储协议相结合。这些要求给传统的信息论优化问题带来了新的维度和参数。在这个项目中，我们首次提出了一个考虑存储网络拓扑结构的大规模存储模型。以前，存储拓扑从来不是代码设计人员关心的问题。进一步研究了适合存储的纠错码的更新效率和局部修复（快速恢复）特性。对于所有这些，我们将分析系统的基本限制，以及提出显式（快速算法）的代码结构。一些工具从图和网络理论，组合学和优化理论将被用来寻找性能限制和设计编码算法。通过减少冗余和允许更快的处理，该项目开发的代码将直接节省数据中心的能源消耗。首席研究员现有的和新的合作将促进行业合作，并增加该项目产生的成果向实践的过渡。这一努力的要素将与首席研究员所教授的课程相结合。调查结果将通过同行评议场所的出版物传播，并以技术报告的形式在调查者的网页上供公众查阅。最后，受实际应用和跨学科扩展的激励，该项目是工程科学一个有趣领域的代表，将吸引包括本科生在内的各种学生群体。

With the advent of large scale distributed storage systems, cloud computing and commercial data storage applications, there is a renewed interest in the coding and information theory in reliabile issues data storage. In large networked databases, faster updates and quick repair requirements must be integrated with reliable data storage protocols. These requirements bring new dimensions and parameters to the traditional optimization problem of information theory.In this project we propose, for the first time, a model of large-scale storage that accounts for the topology of storage networks. Previously, storage topology was never a concern of the code designers. Further, we study the update efficiency and local repair (fast recovery) properties of error-correcting codes suitable for storage. For all of these, we will analyze the fundamental limits of systems, as well as propose explicit (fast algorithmic) constructions of codes. Several tools from graph and network theory, combinatorics and optimization theory will be leveraged to find performance limits and devise coding algorithms.By cutting redundancy and allowing faster processing, the codes developed from this project will directly save energy consumption in data centers. Existing and new collaborations of the principal investigator will facilitate industry cooperation and increase the transition to practice of results generated from this project. Elements of this endeavor will be integrated with the courses taught by the principal investigator. The findings will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed venues and made available in the form of technical reports for public access on the investigator's webpage. Finally, motivated by practical applications and extending across various disciplines, this project is representative of an intriguing area of engineering science, and will attract a diverse student base including undergraduate students.