Distributed storage in wireless mesh networks Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-003 Topic Title: Distributed storage in wireless mesh networks Proposal No.: N121-003-0323 Firm: MaXentric Technologies LLC 2071 Lemoine Avenue Suite 302 Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024 Contact: Per Johansson Phone: (858) 531-5572 Web Site: www.maxentric.com Abstract: Secure data storage in tactical wireless mesh networks is mainly addressed by encryption of sensitive data using shared key concepts combined with encrypted wireless links. The nature of the applications (e.g. a situational awareness application among 10-100 nodes) leads to each mesh node sharing the majority of the network wide data. Hence, one or a handful of compromised/captured mesh nodes poses a significant security threat. However, resent work suggests the use of distributed storage systems that require a subset of nodes exchange data in order to access the stored information (e.g. Mobile Distributed File System, MDFS) making it harder for an adversary to gain access to the stored data via one or a few captured mesh nodes. Still, the proposed distributed storage systems do not take the dynamics of the wireless mesh network into account (failed wireless links due to fading, shadowing, mobility, joining/exiting nodes etc.) and the minimum set of required mesh nodes may not be reachable to read/write data to the file system rendering applications useless during mission critical operations. MaXentric proposes a distributed data storage solution based on a robust and delay tolerant information dissemination system designed for wireless mesh networks. The solution utilizes a combination of AES encryption, Shamir's secret sharing algorithm and fountain coding to protect the network wide stored data in dynamic wireless mesh networks. Benefits: MANETs have evolved a great deal over the last two decades. The technology at present has attracted lots of attention due to recent developments in radio communications and advancements in wireless networking. In addition, the need for advanced communication to facilitate situational awareness among the troops at the tactical edge (at company and platoon level) has been a catalyst for the increased deployment of MANETs in the battlefield. This also means that potentially sensitive communication is pushed closer an adversary and the risk of lost or compromised hand held MANET devices becomes a security concern. MeshDISC provides a lightweight and distributed solution to make it harder for an enemy force to gain access to confidential communication. These enormous high bandwidth network requirements have created needs for more innovative MANET solutions, which provide higher reliability, security, and scalability for the defense communications market. Over the past decade, all branches of the US military have solicited contracts for wireless mesh networks and several systems are being deployed. We believe the technology provided by MeshDISC will be vital to protect information in future wireless mesh networks. MaXentric will market to several agencies as well as attempt to make various partnerships with previous awardees and prime contractors working on wireless mesh network projects. The Marine Corps 2011 budget for radio systems was almost $200 million. Similarly, the Army Future Combat System has set aside about $260 million annually for development of FCS communications. It is anticipated that a portion of these budgeted funds will be for MANET upgrades for tactical edge communication. Cloud computing is another sector that can greatly benefit from MeshDISC. It is expected that the global cloud computing market will reach $241 billion in 2020, compared to $40.7 billion in 2010. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offers more growth opportunity than any other segment in the large market for cloud computing services. SaaS will retain its position as a leading segment in cloud computing with the SaaS market growing three-fold to $92.8 billion by 2016. Return