Computer system and method having isolatable storage for enhanced immunity to viral and malicious code infection

Abstract

An apparatus and method of supporting the backup and recovery of a computing device. The computing device typically includes both a user computing environment and a supporting environment which enhances the stability and functionality of the user computing environment.

1 . A computer that has enhanced resistance or immunity to viral, Trojan-horse, hacker, or other malicious code infection, the computer comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor;   a plurality of identified storage; and   a switch selectively enabling access with only one of the plurality of storage with said processor and said memory by opening or closing a predetermined electrical circuit of a device to be switched;   the selectively enabling access to the one storage disabling access among or between the processor, memory and another of the plurality of identified storage, wherein only a single storage is accessed at a time, preventing a virus, a hacking executable code, an infection, or other harmful or malicious element from executing or from contaminating another storage.   
   
   
       2 . A computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified storage includes a first storage and a second storage. 
   
   
       3 . A computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified storage comprise different logical storage. 
   
   
       4 . A computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified storage comprise different physical storage. 
   
   
       5 . A computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified storage comprise at least one hard disk drive physical storage device. 
   
   
       6 . A computer as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified storage includes a first disk drive storage device and a second disk drive storage device. 
   
   
       7 . A method for enhancing resistance or immunity to viral, Trojan-horse, hacker, or other malicious code infection in a device of the type having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a least one physical storage, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of storage from said at least one physical storage including a logical or physical first storage and a second logical or physical storage; and   selectively enabling access with only one of the plurality of identified storage with said processor and said memory by opening or closing a predetermined electrical circuit of a device to be switched;   the selectively enabling access to the one storage disabling access among or between the processor, memory and another of the plurality of identified storage, wherein only a single storage is accessed at a time, preventing a virus, a hacking executable code, an infection, or other harmful or malicious element from executing or from contaminating another storage.   
   
   
       8 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein the computer further being of the type having a data port and means for mediating access of the computer over an external communications link with an external system; and the method further comprising:
 operating the computer in a connected state and in a disconnected state;   the disconnected state being a state in which (i) the computer is prevented from communicating over the data port, and (ii) the data-store switch may enable access with any plurality of storage including permitting access with the first storage and the second storage;   the connected state being a state in which (iii) the computer is permitted to communicate over the data port, and (iv) the data-store switch may not enable access with the first storage but may enable access with the second storage; and   the permitting or preventing access to particular storage depending on whether the computer is communicating or not communicating with an external system via the data port and operable for isolating data received only to the second storage so that if the data received has a virus, a hacking executable code, an infection, or other harmful or malicious element it is confined to the second storage.   
   
   
       9 . A computer that self-repairs to maintain an operational status at any time during operation, the computer comprising:
 a main computer hardware box; at least one CPU disposed within the main computer hardware box;   at least one random access memory disposed within the main computer hardware box and coupled to the at least one CPU;   the at least one CPU and random access memory providing at least one user computing environment and a supporting computing environment substantially isolated from the user computing environment and operative to enhance the stability and functionality of the user computing environment by monitoring processes running or enabled within the user computing environment;   first and second controllers for respective first and second data storage devices disposed within the main computer hardware box of the computer prior to a need for repair, the first data storage device storing programs and data for the user computing environment and the second data storage device being associated with the supporting computing environment and containing at least one backup snap-shot; and   means for controlling the self-repair of the computer cooperatively coupled with said at least one CPU, said at least one random access memory, and said first and second controllers.   
   
   
       10 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein the supporting environment is operative to interact with the user computing environment. 
   
   
       11 . A computer as in  claim 10 , wherein the supporting environment is operative to initiate or cause the user computing environment to shut-down, restart, log off, log on, or terminating applications executing on the computer. 
   
   
       12 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein the user computing environment and the supporting environment function in different computing systems physically residing in the main computer hardware box. 
   
   
       13 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein the user computing environment system comprises a separate data storage device, random access memory, and processor from the supporting computing environment, and a video processor. 
   
   
       14 . A computer as in  claim 13 , wherein the supporting computing environment system comprises a master template data storage device, a random access memory, and a processor. 
   
   
       15 . A computer as in  claim 14 , wherein the computing environment system data storage devices and the supporting computing environment system data master template data storage device may be linked as needed to perform repairs on the computer system, optionally including performing a copy operation from the supporting computing environment to the user computing environment. 
   
   
       16 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein the computer further comprises means for obtaining a snap-shot of the user computing environment and means for subsequently using the snap-shot to restore, analyze, or enhance the stability of the user environment. 
   
   
       17 . A computer as in  claim 16 , wherein the snap-shot includes at least one of: (i) a stable image of the operating system, software applications, and user data; (ii) an idealized or stable version of a data storage device utilized by the user environment; (iii) a subset of the data storage device of the user environment such as an individual partition of a hard disk drive data storage device; (iv) an idealized version or image of the user system random access memory; (v) an idealized version or image of the user system disk drive; (vi) an idealized version or image of the user system partition image, memory of the video card, or any other memory stored or utilized in the user computing environment. 
   
   
       18 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein the computer further comprises means for running a plurality of different programs at the same time on one computing system where the data and applications for each of the plurality of different programs are isolated from one another but share output and/or input devices. 
   
   
       19 . A computer as in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of different programs are isolated by executing the applications in separate address spaces. 
   
   
       20 . A computer as in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of different programs are isolated by utilizing a different one of plurality of separate data storage devices for each program. 
   
   
       21 . A computer as in  claim 18 , wherein commands are sent from one isolated data storage device or process to another isolated data storage device or process by launching an application through a shared hardware application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to the other isolated data storage device. 
   
   
       22 . A computer as in  claim 20 , wherein data from a plurality of user computing environments is isolated but the display of the plurality of user computing environments is merged onto a common display. 
   
   
       23 . A computer as in  claim 9 , wherein a first hard disk drive storage device associated with a first user computing environment that does not contain sensitive data is connected to a network but is isolated from a second hard disk drive storage device associated with a second user computing environment by means of switching, the processing for the first and second computing environments being maintained in isolated secure zones within a single computer; and the video signals associated with the isolated first and second computing environments and the data coming from the first and second hard disk drive storage devices is merged for display onto a common computer display screen so that it appears to a user that the first and second processes were being performed on the same computer without isolation. 
   
   
       24 . A computer as in  claim 23 , wherein the isolation of the first and second user computing environments prevents potentially infectious viral data or hacker code exposed from the first network connectable computing environment from contaminating the second computing environment.