Host Controlled Hybrid Storage Device

• US 20160217069A1
• Filed: 01/22/2016
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Hynix NAND Product Solutions Corporation (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Boyd, James A., Juenemann, Dale J., Corrado, Francis R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,204,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0804 with main memory updating G06F12/0806 takes precedence
• 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 12/12 Replacement control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/205 Hybrid memory, e.g. using both volatile and non-volatile memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/217 Hybrid disk, e.g. using both magnetic and solid state storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/222 Non-volatile memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/60 Details of cache memory

Abstract

A host based caching technique may be used to determine caching policies for a hybrid hard disk drive. Because the host based caching may make use of knowledge about what data is being cached, improved performance may be achieved in some cases.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A solid state hybrid device (SSHD), comprising:

a non-volatile storage device; and

a non-volatile cache medium coupled to the non-volatile storage device, the non-volatile cache medium to selectively cache data;

wherein the SSHD is to selectively cache data based at least in part on information from a host to indicate a caching priority of logical block addresses (LBAs) associated with a request from the host to store data in the SSHD.

32. The SSHD of claim 31, wherein the non-volatile storage device comprises a rotating magnetic memory.

33. The SSHD of claim 31, wherein the SSHD is to selectively cache data further based at least in part on information from the host, the information to indicate a file type of a request from the host.

34. The SSHD of claim 31, wherein the SSHD is to selectively cache data further based at least in part on an explicit indication from the host to cache specific LBAs.

35. The SSHD of claim 31, wherein the SSHD is to selectively cache data further based at least in part on information at the SSHD related to access frequency to the LBAs.

36. The SSHD of claim 31, further comprising the SSHD to provide caching feedback information to the host.

37. The SSHD of claim 36, wherein the caching feedback information comprises storage region information.

38. The SSHD of claim 31, further comprising the non-volatile cache medium to transfer data to the non-volatile storage device in response to an indication from the host to flush data from cache.

39. The SSHD of claim 31, wherein the non-volatile cache medium comprises flash memory.

46. The system of claim 38, the host further comprising one or more of

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the SSHD to access data of the SSHD;

a network adapter communicatively coupled to at least one processor;

or

a display communicatively coupled to at least one processor.

62. The SSHD of claim 31, further comprising the host, the host including logic to provide information to the SSHD to indicate a caching priority of LBAs associated with a request to store data in the SSHD

40. A system comprising:

a solid state hybrid device (SSHD) including

a non-volatile storage device; and

a non-volatile cache medium coupled to the non-volatile storage device, the non-volatile cache medium to selectively cache data; and

a host including logic to provide information to the SSHD to indicate a caching priority of logical block addresses (LBAs) associated with a request to store data in the SSHD;

wherein the SSHD is to selectively cache data based at least in part on the information from the host.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the non-volatile storage device comprises a rotating magnetic memory.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the host is to indicate a file type of a request.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the host is to provide an explicit indication to cache specific LBAs.

44. The system of claim 40, further comprising the SSHD to provide information to the host to indicate region information for the non-volatile cache medium.

45. The system of claim 40, further comprising the non-volatile cache medium to transfer data to the non-volatile storage device in response to an indication from the host to flush data from cache.

47. A host computing device, comprising:

a processor to generate a request to store data on a solid state hybrid device (SSHD), the SSHD to include a non-volatile storage device and a non-volatile cache medium; and

a storage controller to interface with the SSHD when coupled to the SSHD,

wherein the processor to provide information to indicate a caching priority of logical block addresses (LBAs) associated with the request, and wherein the SSHD to selectively cache LBAs associated with the request in the non-volatile cache medium based at least in part on the information.

48. The host computing device of claim 47, wherein the processor to further indicate a file type for the request.

49. The host computing device of claim 47, wherein the processor to further provide an explicit indication to cache specific LBAs.

50. The host computing device of claim 47, further comprising the processor to receive caching feedback information from the SSHD.

51. A method comprising:

generating a request to write data to a solid state hybrid device (SSHD), wherein the SSHD includes a non-volatile storage device, and a non-volatile cache medium coupled to the non-volatile storage device to selectively cache data; and

sending the request with caching information to the SSHD to cause the SSHD to selectively cache data in the non-volatile cache medium, the caching information including a caching priority of logical block addresses (LBAs) associated with the request.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein sending the request with caching information further comprises sending file type information for the request.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein sending the caching information further comprises sending an explicit indication to cache specified LBAs.

54. The method of claim 51, further comprising receiving caching feedback from the SSHD.

55. The method of claim 51, further comprising sending an indication to flush data from cache to cause the SSHD to transfer data from the non-volatile cache medium to the non-volatile storage device.

56. A method comprising:

receiving, at a solid state hybrid device (SSHD), a request to write data from a host, and receiving, at the SSHD, caching information associated with the request, wherein the SSHD includes a non-volatile storage device, and a non-volatile cache medium coupled to the non-volatile storage device; and

selectively caching data in the non-volatile cache medium in response to receiving the request, based at least in part on the caching information including a caching priority of logical block addresses (LBAs) associated with the request.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the non-volatile storage device comprises a rotating magnetic memory.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the request and the caching information further comprises receiving file type information for the request.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein receiving the caching information further comprises receiving an explicit indication to cache specified LBAs.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising sending caching feedback to the host.

61. The method of claim 56, further comprising

receiving an indication to flush data from cache;

and

in response to receiving the indication, transferring data from the non-volatile cache medium to the non-volatile storage device.