Configurable security for scavenged storage systems

Abstract

Scavenged storage systems harness unused disk space from individual workstations the same way idle CPU cycles are harnessed by desktop grid applications like Seti@Home. These systems provide a promising low cost, high-performance storage solution in certain high-end computing scenarios. However, selecting the security level and designing the security mechanisms for such systems is challenging as scavenging idle storage opens the door for security threats absent in traditional storage systems that use dedicated nodes under a single administrative domain. Moreover, increased security often comes at the price of performance and scalability. This paper develops a general threat model for systems that use scavenged storage, presents the design of a protocol that addresses these threats and is optimized for throughput, and evaluates the overheads brought by the new security protocol when configured to provide a number of different security properties.