Ordering commitment of data from a data cache to nonvolatile memory using ordering commands

• US 10,162,534 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Obr, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gossage, Glenn
• Application Number:
  US15/481,247
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0804 with main memory updating G06F12/0806 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0808 with cache invalidating means G06F12/0815 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0868 Data transfer between cache memory and other subsystems, e.g. storage devices or host systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0891 using clearing, invalidating or resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/12 Replacement control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/128 adapted to multidimensional cache systems, e.g. set-associative, multicache, multiset or multilevel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1016 Performance improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/313 In storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0688 Non-volatile semiconductor memory arrays

Abstract

Systems and methods for utilization of notification or ordering commands are disclosed that can enable more efficient processing of flush requests from software programs and increase data consistency in storage devices. A data storage device or system may include a non-volatile memory, a memory comprising a data cache and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive an ordering command requesting commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with a first identifier prior to commitment of cached data items associated with a second identifier, and to delay commitment of the second data item to the non-volatile memory until commitment of the first data item to the non-volatile memory, based at least in part on the ordering command. The controller may be further configured to select data items from the data cache for commitment to the non-volatile memory in accordance with native command queuing (NCQ).

Claims

1. A data storage device comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a memory comprising a data cache; and

a controller configured to;

receive, from a computing device, a plurality of data items to be written to the non-volatile memory, wherein the plurality of data items include at least a first data item associated with a first identifier and a second data item associated with a second identifier;

cache the plurality of data items within the data cache for subsequent commitment to the non-volatile memory;

receive from the computing device an ordering command that includes a specification of the first identifier and the second identifier, wherein the ordering command requests commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the first identifier, as specified within the ordering command, prior to commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the second identifier, as specified within the ordering command;

based at least in part on the ordering command, delay commitment of the second data item to the non-volatile memory until commitment of the first data item to the non-volatile memory; and

subsequent to commitment of the first data item to the non-volatile memory, commit the second data item to the non-volatile memory.

2. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the plurality of data items via at least one of a serial ATA (SATA) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus, or a communication network.

3. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select data items from the data cache for commitment to the non-volatile memory in accordance with native command queuing (NCQ).

4. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data items further includes a third data item associated with the second identifier, and wherein the controller is further configured to delay commitment to the non-volatile memory of the third data item until commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item.

5. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the data storage device comprises at least one of a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) or a solid state hybrid drive (SSHD).

6. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the ordering command subsequent to reception of the first data item and prior to reception of the second data item.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a storage system, a plurality of data items to be written to a non-volatile memory of the storage system, wherein the plurality of data items include at least a first data item associated with a first identifier and a second data item associated with a second identifier;

caching the plurality of data items within a data cache of the storage system for subsequent commitment to the non-volatile memory;

receiving, at the storage system, an ordering command that includes a specification of the first identifier and the second identifier, wherein the ordering command requests commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the first identifier prior to commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the second identifier;

based at least in part on the ordering command, delaying commitment to the non-volatile memory of the second data item from the data cache until commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item from the data cache; and

subsequent to commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item from the data cache, committing the second data item from the data cache to the non-volatile memory.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of data items are received via at least one of a serial ATA (SATA) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus, or a communication network.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the storage system implements native command queuing (NCQ).

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of data items further includes a third data item associated with the second identifier, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises delaying commitment to the non-volatile memory of the third data item until commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the storage system comprises at least one of a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) or a solid state hybrid drive (SSHD).

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein receiving the ordering command occurs subsequent to receiving the first data item and prior to receiving the second data item.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a storage system, cause the processor to:

receive a plurality of data items to be written to a non-volatile memory of the storage system, wherein the plurality of data items include at least a first data item associated with a first identifier and a second data item associated with a second identifier;

cache the plurality of data items within a data cache of the storage system for subsequent commitment to the non-volatile memory;

receive an ordering command that includes a specification of the first identifier and the second identifier and that requests commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the first identifier prior to commitment to the non-volatile memory of cached data items associated with the second identifier;

based at least in part on the ordering command, delay commitment to the non-volatile memory of the second data item from the data cache until commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item from the data cache; and

subsequent to commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item from the data cache, commit the second data item from the data cache to the non-volatile memory.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to receive the plurality of data items via at least one of a serial ATA (SATA) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus, or a communication network.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the storage system implements native command queuing (NCQ).

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of data items further includes a third data item associated with the second identifier, and wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to delay commitment to the non-volatile memory of the third data item until commitment to the non-volatile memory of the first data item.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the storage system comprises at least one of a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) or a solid state hybrid drive (SSHD).

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to receive the ordering command subsequent to reception of the first data item and prior to reception of the second data item.