Storage system using flash memory modules logically grouped for wear-leveling and raid
First Claim
1. A storage system using flash memories comprising a controller and plural flash memory modules as storage media,wherein each flash memory module comprises at least one flash memory chip, andwherein the controller:
- combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group,translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller,combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group,executes a first process of leveling erase counts of blocks belonging to the flash memory chip, andexecutes a second process of leveling erase counts of the logical groups.
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Abstract
A storage system using flash memories includes a storage controller and plural flash memory modules as storage media. Each flash memory module includes at least one flash memory chip and a memory controller for leveling erase counts of blocks belonging to the flash memory chip. The storage controller combines the plural flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the storage controller, and combines the plural first logical groups into a second logical group.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A storage system using flash memories comprising a controller and plural flash memory modules as storage media,
wherein each flash memory module comprises at least one flash memory chip, and wherein the controller: -
combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller, combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group, executes a first process of leveling erase counts of blocks belonging to the flash memory chip, and executes a second process of leveling erase counts of the logical groups. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wear-leveling method for a storage system comprising flash memory modules including at least one flash memory chip;
- and a controller which combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller, and combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group, the method comprising;
a step of allowing the controller to provide count management on write size of each predetermined memory area in the flash memory module; a step of allowing the controller to calculate an average erase count yielded by dividing total write size of each flash memory module through a predetermined time period by a capacity of the flash memory module; a first determination step of allowing the controller to determine whether or not a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the average erase count is not less than a predetermined value, a step of allowing the controller to execute a first process of leveling erase counts of blocks belonging to the flash memory chip, and a step of allowing the controller to execute a second process of leveling erase counts of the logical groups, wherein if the difference of the average erase count is not less than the predetermined value, the first determination step includes a step of allowing the controller to exchange data between a memory area having a maximum write size and a memory area having a minimum write size, among the flash memory modules having the maximum difference of the average erase count, and to change mapping information between the first address and the second address. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- and a controller which combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller, and combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group, the method comprising;
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19. A wear-leveling method for a storage system comprising flash memory modules including at least one flash memory chip;
- and a controller which combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller, and combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group, the method comprising;
a step of allowing the controller to provide count management on write size of each predetermined memory area in the flash memory module; a step of allowing the controller to calculate an average erase count for each flash memory module, by adding a first average erase count at a predetermined time to a second average erase count yielded by dividing total write size since the predetermined time by capacity of the flash memory module; a first determination step of allowing the controller to determine whether or not a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the average erase count is not less than the predetermined value; a step of allowing the controller to execute a first process of leveling erase counts of blocks belonging to the flash memory chip; and a step of allowing the controller to execute a second process of leveling erase counts of the logical groups, wherein if it is determined that the difference is not less than the predetermined value, the first determination step includes a step of allowing the controller to exchange data between memory area having maximum write size and memory area having minimum write size, among the flash memory modules having the maximum difference of the erase count, and to change mapping information between the first address and the second address. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- and a controller which combines a group of the flash memory modules into a first logical group, translates a first address used for accessing the flash memory modules belonging to the first logical group to a second address used for handling the first address in the controller, and combines a plurality of first logical groups into a second logical group, the method comprising;
Specification