DATA STORAGE SYSTEM, METHOD OF WRITING TO STORAGE IN THE DATA STORAGE SYSTEM, HARD DISK AND METHOD OF FORMING THE HARD DISK

• US 20140019680A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Inventors: Xi, Weiya, Yong, Khai Leong, Jin, Chao, Ching, Zhi Yong
• Granted Patent: US 9,368,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2508 Magnetic discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/012 Recording on, or reproducing or erasing from, magnetic disks G11B17/00, G11B19/00 take precedence

Abstract

In various embodiments, a data storage system may be provided. The data storage system may include a storage. The storage may include a first portion and a second portion. The data storage system may further include a determination circuit configured to determine whether to write data to the first portion or to the second portion. The data storage system may also include a control circuit configured to control writing the data to the first portion in a log structured manner.

Claims

1. A data storage system for accessing a storage, the storage comprising a first portion and a second portion, the data storage system comprising:

a determination circuit configured to determine whether to write data to the first portion or to the second portion; and

a control circuit configured to control writing the data to the first portion in a log structured manner.

2. The data storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to control writing data to the second portion in a random access manner.

3. The data storage system according to claim 1,

wherein to control writing data to the first portion in the log structured manner comprises

to control writing data in the form of a circular log in the first portion, the log having a header and an end defining the data written to the first portion;

and

to append new data to the header of the log, the new data causing the header to move relative to the end.

4. The data storage system according to claim 3, the data storage system further comprising:

a marking circuit configured to mark unwanted old data on the first portion.

5. The data storage system according to claim 4,

wherein to control writing data to the first portion in the log structure manner comprises:

to control writing of new data over old data by appending unmarked old data to the header and to remove marked old data.

6. The data storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the determination circuit is further configured to determine whether to write data to the first portion or to the second portion based on the attributes of the data.

7. The data storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the determination circuit is further configured to determine whether to write data to the first portion or to the second portion based on whether a relevant old data is located in the first portion or the second portion.

8. The data storage system according to claim 1, the data storage system further comprising:

an access monitor circuit configured to monitor an access pattern of the data in the first portion and the second portion.

9. The data storage system according to claim 8, the data storage system further comprising:

a file migration circuit configured to move the data between the first portion and the second portion based on the access pattern.

10. The data storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the determination circuit is further configured to determine whether the data is file data or file system metadata.

11. The data storage system according to claim 10,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to write data to the first portion if the determination circuit determines the data is file data and to write data to the second portion of the data if the determination circuit determines the data is file system metadata.

12. The data storage system according to claim 1, the data storage system further comprising:

a memory configured to store file system metadata.

13. The data storage system according to claim 12,

wherein the file system metadata is in the form of a tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node comprising metadata information of a program file or a directory.

14. The data storage system according to claim 12,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to write file system metadata in the memory to the second portion at periodic intervals.

15. The data storage system according to claim 1, the data storage system further comprising:

a metadata database, the metadata database configured to store file system metadata.

16. The data storage system according to claim 1, the data storage system further comprising the storage, the storage having the first portion and the second portion.

17. A hard disk comprising:

a plurality of shingled magnetic recording zones; and

a conventional magnetic recording zone.

18. The hard disk according to claim 17,

wherein a first shingled magnetic recording zone of the plurality of shingled magnetic recording zones is separated from a second shingled magnetic recording zone of the plurality of shingled magnetic recording zones by an inter-zone gap.

19. A storage array comprising:

an array circuit; and

a plurality of hard disks according to claim 17 controlled by the array circuit;

wherein the plurality of hard disks comprises;

a first portion comprising the shingled magnetic recording zones of the plurality of hard disks; and

a second portion comprising the conventional magnetic recording zones of the plurality of hard disks.

20. A method of writing data to a storage in a data storage system, the storage having a first portion and a second portion, the method comprising:

determining whether to write data to the first portion or to the second portion; and

controlling writing the data to the first portion in a log structured manner.