System and method for monitoring and non-disruptive backup of data in a solid state disk system

• US 20050097288A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Memory Systems Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Texas Memory Systems Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Holzmann, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/697,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097288A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive

Abstract

The invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring data disposed on a memory module in a solid state disk system, and copying the data to a storage means without disrupting the availability, performance or use of the solid state disk system. The system preferably uses a control module coupled to the memory module and storage means. The control module preferably maintains a segment queue to record a list of data segments that have been updated in the memory module. When a time interval expires, the control module copies the data segments listed in the segment queue to the storage means.

Claims

1. A solid state disk system comprising:

a non-volatile storage media;

a memory module;

an interface module for communicating with a computer network;

a control module operatively coupled to the non-volatile storage media, the memory module, and the interface module;

a segment queue stored by said control module for storing a list of data segments that have been updated in said memory module;

said control module, when a time interval expires, copying the data segments listed in said segment queue to said non-volatile storage media.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the time interval is defined by a user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the time interval is determined by a threshold number of data segments listed in said segment queue.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory module is a RAM module.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a temporary power supply;

upon shutdown of the system or failure of external power to the system, the control module copying the data stored in the memory module to the non-volatile storage media.

6. The system of claim 5, where upon shutdown of the system or failure of external power to the system, said temporary power supply providing power to the system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said segment queue lists the earliest-updated data segment in the highest priority queue position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said segment queue is manipulated by a user to customize the priorities of the data segments listed in said queue.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said segment queue is dynamically arranged by said control module.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said segment queue is arranged in sequential order corresponding to the order of memory segments in said non-volatile storage media.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second segment queue for storing a list of data segments that have been updated during the time that said control module copied data segments listed in said first segment queue to said non-volatile storage media, said control module copying said data segments listed in said second segment queue to said non-volatile storage media.

12. In a solid state memory system including a non-volatile storage media, a memory module, an interface module for communicating with a computer network, and a control module, a method for monitoring and backup of data comprising the steps of:

receiving a memory access request from an external device, said memory access request identifying a particular segment in the memory module;

updating the requested data segment in the memory module;

recording in a queue that the data segment has been updated;

determining whether a preset time-interval has expired;

when said time interval has expired, copying the segments recorded in said queue to the non-volatile storage media and clearing the segment from the queue.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said time interval is user defined.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said time interval is determined by a threshold number of data segments listed in said segment queue.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of organizing the data segments recorded in the queue in the order the segments are recorded.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of organizing the data segments recorded in the queue in sequential order corresponding to the order of memory segments in said non-volatile storage media.