Method of managing a distributed storage system

A storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) for use in a distributed storage system comprising:

• a processor;
• an interface for connecting to an external data source;
• a data acquisition unit for acquiring data, from the external data source, according to a configurable profile describing an autonomous function of the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), wherein each respective storage device possesses intelligence of its own for execution of a corresponding autonomous function;
• a memory module for storing data;
• an interface for communicating with another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) of the distributed storage system;
• and
• a responsibility delegation unit for delegating the responsibility for the autonomous function of the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) to the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) in a network (N) of the distributed storage system, prior to the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) (a)(i) leaving the network (N), (a)(ii) becoming absent from the network, and (a)(iii) being unable to carry out its autonomous function, wherein the responsibility delegating unit further comprises means for supplying to the another storage device, via the configurable profile, information about content already collected by the storage device, wherein (b)(i) responsive to the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) leaving the network, the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) assumes responsibility for the autonomous function of the first storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), wherein assuming responsibility comprises (c) determining (c)(i) which content to collect and (c)(ii) which content not to collect because corresponding content is already stored on the storage device, and (d) only collecting new content not already stored on the storage device, and (b)(ii) responsive to the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) returning to the network (N), the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) transfers data from the another storage device, corresponding to data accumulated by the second storage device due to the another storage device's responsibility for the autonomous function of the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), to the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn).

A storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) for use in a distributed storage system comprising:

• a processor;
• an interface for connecting to an external data source;
• a data acquisition unit for acquiring data, from the external data source, according to a configurable profile describing an autonomous function of the storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), wherein each respective storage device possesses intelligence of its own for execution of a corresponding autonomous function;
• a memory module for storing data;
• an interface for communicating with another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn);
• and
• a responsibility assumption unit (i) for assuming the responsibility for the autonomous function of another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) prior to the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) (i)(a)(1) leaving a network (N) of the distributed storage system, (i)(a)(2) becoming absent from the network, and (i)(a)(3) being unable to carry out its autonomous function, wherein the responsibility assumption unit further comprises means for receiving from the another storage device, via the configurable profile, information about content already collected by the storage device, (ii) for causing, in response to the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) leaving the network (N), the data acquisition unit to acquire data from the external data source according to a configurable profile describing the autonomous function of the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), wherein assuming responsibility in causing the data acquisition unit to acquire data further comprises (ii)(a) determining (ii)(a)(1) which content to collect and (ii)(a)(2) which content not to collect because corresponding content is already stored on the another storage device, and (ii)(b) only collecting new content not already stored on the another storage device, and (iii) for transferring data, accumulated during its responsibility for the autonomous function of the first storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn), to the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) once the another storage device (D1, D2, . . . , Dn) has returned to the network (N).