Linear network coding in a dynamic distributed federated database

摘要

An arrangement is described for securing response data to a database query wherein the response data is split into multiple portions with each portion being sent on a respective route/path which has different physical nodes compared to all the nodes in the other selected return paths/routes i.e. linear network coding is performed with exclusive/distinct physical nodes for each path/route for each response portion. In particular a method for use in a distributed federated database 200 arrangement for securing response data sent from a responder 106 to a querier 108, in response to query data sent from a querier through one or more nodes 102, 104 of a network of nodes, hosted on a physical machine, to a responder, the method comprising the steps of: collecting path information for the query data, the path information identifying a plurality of paths 112, 114, 116, 118 from the querier to the responder and including a physical machine identifier for each of the nodes; identifying one or more sets of return paths 120, 122, 202, 204, from said plurality of paths, for sending response data, each one of the return paths within an identified set of return paths utilizing only a subset of nodes not present in any other one of the return paths within the identified set of return paths; for each of said one or more set of return paths, discarding any of the return paths within the set of return paths which utilize any nodes sharing a physical machine identifier with any node present in another of the return paths in the set of return paths; and splitting the response data into a plurality of portions and sending each of the plurality of portions from the responder to the querier using a different return path selected from one of said set of return paths. The physical machine identifier may be an IP address. The arrangement provides protection from eavesdropping/sniffing/interception 110.