SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA REDUNDANCY AFTER REDUCING MEMORY WRITES

• US 20080141055A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: SandForce, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Danilak, Radoslav
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1072 in multilevel memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/108 Parity data distribution in semiconductor storages, e.g. in SSD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1073 Problems due to wear-out failures in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1092 Single disk raid, i.e. RAID with parity on a single disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1095 Writes number reduction, i.e. reducing the number of writes in a RAID array with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0616 in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0688 Non-volatile semiconductor memory arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/52 Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for providing data redundancy in a plurality of storage devices. In operation, a number of writes to a plurality of storage devices is reduced. Additionally, after the reducing, data redundancy is provided utilizing a data redundancy scheme.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

reducing a number of writes to a plurality of storage devices; and

after the reducing, providing data redundancy utilizing a data redundancy scheme.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data redundancy scheme includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) data redundancy scheme.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data redundancy scheme includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-5 data redundancy scheme.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data redundancy scheme includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-6 data redundancy scheme.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a mechanical storage device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the mechanical storage device includes disk drive.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a solid state storage device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the solid state storage device includes flash memory.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the flash memory includes NAND flash memory.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the NAND flash memory includes single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the NAND flash memory includes multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the solid state memory includes dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

13. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising detecting a disconnection of a power source of the storage devices.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, and further comprising providing power to the storage devices, in response to the detection of the disconnection of the power source.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein power is provided to the storage devices until at least a point when no data loss will occur as a result of the disconnection of the power source.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the power is provided utilizing a capacitor.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the power is provided utilizing a battery.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein randomization is avoided by providing data redundancy utilizing a data redundancy scheme, after the reducing.

19. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for reducing a number of writes to a plurality of storage devices; and

computer code for providing data redundancy utilizing a data redundancy scheme, after the reducing.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit for reducing a number of writes to a plurality of storage devices, and after the reducing, providing data redundancy utilizing a data redundancy scheme.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, and further comprising a plurality of storage devices coupled to the circuit.