Method for checking the availability and integrity of a distributed data object

A method for checking the availability and integrity of a data object having a number N of data words distributed on a plurality of servers that are connected to one another via a network, the method comprising:

• specifying a fragmentation rule and creating a number n of fragments of the data object under the fragmentation rule, the fragments being created redundantly such that a number m<n of fragments is sufficient to reconstruct the data object;
• providing a consistency check which, in the presence of a number of fragments that is greater than m, checks whether these fragments are consistent with each other and/or originate from the same data object;
• providing a checksum computation rule for computing a checksum from a fragment;
• coordinating the fragmentation rule, the consistency check and the checksum computation rule such that:
• individual fragments created by the fragmentation rule from a data object are consistent with regard to the consistency check;
• checksums that were computed by way of the checksum computation rule, which were ascertained from fragments formed by means of fragmentation rule based on the same data object, are consistent with regard to the consistency check;
• storing the data object in distributed storage on the plurality of servers by:
• fragmenting the data object to create a number of fragments;
• and
• transmitting the fragments to respective servers, storing the fragments and making the fragments available for retrieval from the servers;
• verifying the availability and integrity of the fragments stored on the servers by:
• transmitting a given random number from an auditor unit to the servers;
• generating a respective checksum in the servers by applying the random number to the data of the respective fragment, and transmitting the checksum to the auditor unit;
• and
• examining with the auditor unit by way of the consistency check whether the individual checksums transmitted by the servers are consistent and, when the checksums are consistent, inspecting the availability and integrity of the data.