FILE STORAGE IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH DIVERSE STORAGE MEDIA

• US 20080288714A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Peri, Eyal, Pomerantz, Itzhak, Salomon, Tavi
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/068 Hybrid storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for storing data in a computer having a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) and an electronic solid-state drive (SSD). The method includes configuring the computer so that the HDD and the SSD are each independently accessible by an operating system of the computer. A plurality of files is received for storage by the computer. A predicted use profile of the computer is defined. A respective one of the HDD and the SDD is selected for the storage of each of the files responsively to the predicted use profile.

Claims

1. A method for storing data in a computer having a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) and an electronic solid-state drive (SSD), the method comprising:

configuring the computer so that the HDD and the SSD are each independently accessible by an operating system of the computer;

receiving a plurality of files for storage by the computer;

defining a predicted use profile of the computer; and

selecting a respective one of the HDD and the SDD for the storage of each of the files responsively to the predicted use profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the predicted use profile comprises receiving an input from the user indicative of a preference of the user in operating the computer.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the input is indicative of a weight to be assigned to a factor relating to the computer selected from a group of factors consisting of:

power saving;

boot time;

silence of operation;

responsiveness of operation; and

portability.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the predicted use profile comprises automatically monitoring a behavior of the user in operating the computer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the predicted use profile comprises determining that the computer is to be used primarily for games.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the predicted use profile comprises determining that the computer is to be used primarily for office applications.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the respective one of the HDD and the SDD comprises choosing the respective one of the HDD and the SDD for each of the files responsively to respective access properties of the files in the set.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the access properties are selected from a group of file properties consisting of:

a read frequency of the files;

a write frequency of the files;

a size of storage quanta for rewriting of the files;

a size of the files; and

a type of data in the files.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the respective one of the HDD and the SDD comprises choosing the respective one of the HDD and the SDD for each of the files responsively to respective characteristics of the HDD and the SDD.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the respective characteristics are selected from a group of storage characteristics consisting of:

a cost of the storage media;

a random read access time of the storage media for files of a specified type;

a capacity of the storage media;

a power consumption of the storage media;

an age of the storage media;

a write access time of the storage media;

an audible noise characteristic of the storage media;

wear of the storage media due to rewriting; and

a sensitivity to motion during operation of the storage media.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the respective one of the HDD and the SDD comprises choosing the respective one of the HDD and the SDD for each of the files responsively to a property of the computer.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the property of the computer is selected from a group of factors consisting of:

storage cost;

a pattern of read access;

power consumption;

total storage capacity; and

system age.

13. A method for operating a computer system having first and second storage drives, the method comprising:

receiving a software package for installation on the computer system, the software package comprising at least a first file and a second file, which contains instructions comprising a call to a predetermined location of the first file on the first storage drive;

storing at least the first file at a target location on the second storage drive;

creating a link on the computer system from the predetermined location on the first storage drive to the target location on the second storage drive; and

executing the instructions in the second file, whereupon the link directs the call to the target location of the first file.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first storage drive comprises an electronic storage medium, and the second storage drive comprises a magnetic storage medium.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the software package comprises an application program, and wherein kernel files of an operating system of the computer system are installed on the first storage drive.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first storage drive is identified by the operating system as drive C:

, and wherein the second storage drive is associated by the operating system with another drive identifier.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the link comprises a symbolic link.

18. The method according to claim 13, and comprising creating an entry indicating a path to the software package on the second storage device in an index maintained by an operating system of the computer system.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein storing at least the first file comprises moving the first file from the predetermined location to the target location in response to a change in the computer system.

20. A method for storing data in a computer system having electronic and magnetic storage media, comprising:

in a set of files for storage on the computer system, identifying first files having first probabilities of being rewritten and second files having second probabilities of being rewritten that are greater than the first probabilities; and

storing the first files in the electronic storage medium while storing the second files in the magnetic storage medium.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first files are protected so that a user of the computer system is unable to rewrite the first files.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the electronic storage medium comprises a Flash memory.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the electronic storage medium comprises a 3D memory.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the electronic storage medium comprises a one-time programmable memory.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein the set of files comprises majority files of an operating system of the computer system, wherein the minority files are stored on the electronic storage media.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first and second files respectively comprise first and second program files belonging to a computer program, and wherein the first and second files are stored in a process of installing the computer program on the computer system.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the computer program is at least a part of an operating system of the computer system.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the computer program is at least a part of an application program that is to run on the computer system.

29. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first files comprise operating system kernel files.

30. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second files comprise page files and swapping files.

31. The method according to claim 20, and comprising storing a hibernation file on the electronic storage media.

32. The method according to claim 20, and comprising storing a repository for deleted files on the electronic storage media.

33. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second files comprise application program files.

34. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second files comprise user files and temporary files.

35. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second files contains instructions comprising a call to a predetermined location of one of the second files on the electronic storage drive, and wherein the method comprises creating a link on the computer system from the predetermined location on the electronic storage medium to a target location on the magnetic storage medium at which the one of the second files is stored.

36. The method according to claim 20, wherein the computer system comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and respective, first and second storage controllers for the electronic and magnetic storage media, and wherein the CPU is configured to communicate directly with both of the first and second storage controllers.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the CPU is configured to run software that comprises a file system and a volume manager, which interfaces between the file system and the first and second storage controllers.

38. The method according to claim 20, wherein the magnetic storage media and the electronic storage media are embodied respectively in a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) and an electronic solid-state drive (SSD), which are independently accessible by an operating system of the computer.

39. A method for storing data in a computer system having electronic and magnetic storage media, comprising:

in a set of program files, identifying first program files having first frequencies of being rewritten and second program files having second frequencies of being rewritten that are greater than the first frequencies; and

installing the first program files in the electronic storage medium while installing the second program files in the magnetic storage medium.

40. A method for storing data in a computer system having electronic and magnetic storage media, comprising:

in a set of files for installation on the computer system, identifying first files that are protected so that a user of the computer system is unable to rewrite the first files, and second files that may be rewritten by the user; and

storing the first files in the electronic storage medium while storing the second files in the magnetic storage medium.

41. A method for storing data in a computer system having electronic and magnetic storage media, comprising:

receiving a set of files for storage on the computer system, the set comprising first files having respective first probabilities of being rewritten and second files having respective second probabilities of being rewritten that are greater than the first probabilities, the first and second files having respective identifiers that are indicative of the respective probabilities of being rewritten; and

responsively to the respective identifiers, storing the first files in the electronic storage medium while storing the second files in the magnetic storage medium.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the magnetic storage media and the electronic storage media are embodied respectively in a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) and an electronic solid-state drive (SSD), which are independently accessible by an operating system of the computer.

43. A method for configuring a computer system, the method comprising:

storing minority files of a software package on a first storage drive of the computer system; and

storing at least some majority files of the software package on a second storage drive of the computer system.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the first and second storage drives respectively comprise electronic and magnetic storage media.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein the software package comprises an operating system.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein the software package comprises an application program.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein a kernel of an operating system of the computer system is stored on the first storage drive.

48. The method according to claim 43, wherein the majority files are distributed between the first and second storage drives.

49. The method according to claim 43, wherein storing the at least some majority files comprises:

specifying different, respective characteristics of the first and second storage drives;

determining respective access properties of the files in the set;

computing respective installation scores for the majority files responsively to the respective access properties and to the respective characteristics of the storage drives; and

installing the majority files on the first and second storage drives responsively to the respective installation scores.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein the first and second storage drives comprise different, respective storage media, and wherein the respective characteristics of the storage drives are selected from a group of storage characteristics consisting of:

a cost of the storage media;

a random read access time of the storage media for files of a specified type;

a capacity of the storage media;

a power consumption of the storage media;

an age of the storage media;

a write access time of the storage media;

an audible noise characteristic of the storage media;

wear of the storage media due to rewriting; and

a sensitivity to motion during operation of the storage media.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein the access properties are selected from a group of file properties consisting of:

a read frequency of the files;

a write frequency of the files;

a size of storage quanta for rewriting of the files;

a size of the files; and

a type of data in the files.

52. The method according to claim 49, wherein computing the respective installation scores comprises receiving an input from a user indicating a weight to be applied to one or more of the characteristics of the storage drives, and calculating the installation scores responsively to the weight.

53. The method according to claim 49, wherein computing the respective installation scores comprises receiving an input from a user indicating a weight to be applied to one or more of the access properties, and calculating the installation scores responsively to the weight.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein storing the at least some majority files comprises identifying first files among the majority files that are to be stored on the second storage drive irrespective of the scores, and wherein computing the respective installation scores comprises calculating the scores only with respect to second files, disjoint from the first files, among the majority files.

55. The method according to claim 43, wherein storing the at least some majority files comprises evaluating an expected use of the computer system, and selecting one or more of the majority files to store on the first storage drive responsively to the expected use.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein evaluating the expected use comprises receiving an input from the user indicative of a preference of the user in operating the computer system.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein evaluating the expected use comprises automatically monitoring a behavior of the user in operating the computer system.

58. The method according to claim 43, wherein at least one of the files in the software package contains instructions comprising a call to a predetermined location of one of the majority files on the electronic storage drive, and wherein the method comprises creating a link on the computer system from the predetermined location on the electronic storage medium to a target location on the magnetic storage medium at which the one of the majority files is stored.