SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING STORAGE DEVICE CACHING

• US 20140025868A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Furuhjelm, Martin R.
• Application Number:
  US13/953,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025868A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0868 Data transfer between cache memory and other subsystems, e.g. storage devices or host systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/221 Static RAM
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/222 Non-volatile memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/313 In storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10685 input interface, i.e. the way data enter the buffer, e.g. by informing the sender that the buffer is busy
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10759 content data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10805 involving specific measures to prevent a buffer overflow
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for caching data according to user-selected caching modes. In an embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a controller configured to pin data from a non-volatile storage medium to a data cache based on at least one user-selectable caching mode. In another embodiment, a device may comprise a processor configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) at a display, and receive, from the GUI, an indication of a user selection of a data caching mode that determines which data to pin from a non-volatile memory of a data storage device to a data cache of the data storage device. The processor may be configured to then send an indication of the user selection of the data caching mode to the data storage device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to pin data from a non-volatile storage medium to a data cache based on at least one user-selectable caching mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the at least one user-selectable caching mode includes:

one or more caching modes that are modified based on cache statistical results.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the data cache includes a non-volatile cache; and

the at least one user-selectable caching mode includes an active caching mode configured to pin all data requested by a host from the non-volatile memory to the data cache.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the controller configured to:

implement the at least one user-selectable caching mode based on input received at a user interface; and

purge data from the data cache based on input received at the user interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising the user interface includes a display unit configured to display information relating to cache pinning operations performed by the controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the data cache;

a user interface configured to allow a user to select the at least one user-selectable caching mode; and

a housing for retaining the data cache, the controller, and the user interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the controller further configured to pin data based on read commands received from a host device; and

the at least one user-selectable caching mode is selectable in a manner that is independent of the host device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the controller configured to receive data from the host including an indication of a selection of a user-selectable caching mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the controller configured to transmit statistics relating to cache pinning operations to the host for display on a graphical user interface.

10. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

initiate a display of a graphical user interface (GUI);

receive, from the GUI, an indication of a user selection of a data caching mode that determines which data to pin from a non-volatile memory of a data storage device to a data cache of the data storage device; and

send an indication of the user selection of the data caching mode to the data storage device.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising the processor configured to:

display a list of available data caching modes via the GUI.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising the processor configured to:

provide tools allowing a user to generate user-defined caching modes via the GUI; and

send the user-defined caching modes to the data storage device for storage to the non-volatile memory.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising the processor configured to:

display caching statistics received from the data storage device via the GUI.

14. The device of claim 10, further comprising the processor configured to:

receive instructions from a user via the GUI to remove specific data from the data cache; and

send the instructions to remove specific data to the data storage device.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

the specific data is specified based on file name, block numbers, or based on a threshold number of cache hits.

16. The device of claim 10, the processor further configured to:

receive instructions from a user via the GUI to pin selected data to the data cache; and

send the instructions to pin the selected data to the data storage device.

17. The device of claim 16, the processor further configured to:

display a list of data related to the selected data to the user via the GUI;

receive a selection to pin the related data from a user via the GUI; and

send the selected related data to the data storage device.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

the selected data includes an application, and the related data includes data files associated with the application.

19. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

the selected data includes a data file, and the related data includes an application associated with the data file.

20. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

the selected data includes a first data file, and the related data includes other data files related to the first data file.

21. A data storage memory device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

pinning data from a non-volatile memory to a data cache based on at least one user-selectable caching mode.

22. The data storage memory device of claim 21, the method further comprising:

purging data selected by a user from the data cache.

23. The data storage memory device of claim 21, the method further comprising:

pinning specific data identified by a user to the data cache.