Storage apparatus using non-volatile memory as cache and method of managing the same
First Claim
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1. A storage apparatus comprising:
- a main storage medium;
a non-volatile memory, which is used as a cache of the main storage medium, wherein a region of the non-volatile memory is divided into a fixed region and a non-fixed region according to whether or not data is fixed; and
a block management unit which manages physical blocks using virtual addresses, wherein the physical blocks are allocated to the non-volatile memory,wherein the block management unit comprises;
a block allocation unit, which allocates physical blocks to the non-volatile memory;
a block collection unit, which collects the physical blocks allocated to the non-volatile memory;
a bad block management unit, which manages a bad block;
a power interruption recovery unit, which restores the storage apparatus using a logical block address, and fixed region and non-fixed region data indicators, stored in the non-volatile memory as a metadata in case of an unexpected power interruption;
a block mapping table management unit, which manages a block mapping table indicating a mapping relationship between physical block numbers and virtual block numbers that are allocated to the physical block numbers; and
a list storage unit, which stores an allocated block list enumerating allocated physical blocks and a free block list enumerating vacant physical blocks.
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Abstract
A storage apparatus using a non-volatile memory, which retains data even after power interruption, as its cache and a method of managing the same are provided. The storage apparatus includes a main storage medium, a non-volatile memory used as a cache of the main storage medium, a region of the non-volatile memory being divided into a fixed region and a non-fixed region according to whether or not data is fixed, and a block management unit managing physical blocks by means of virtual addresses, the physical blocks being allocated to the non-volatile memory.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A storage apparatus comprising:
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a main storage medium; a non-volatile memory, which is used as a cache of the main storage medium, wherein a region of the non-volatile memory is divided into a fixed region and a non-fixed region according to whether or not data is fixed; and a block management unit which manages physical blocks using virtual addresses, wherein the physical blocks are allocated to the non-volatile memory, wherein the block management unit comprises; a block allocation unit, which allocates physical blocks to the non-volatile memory; a block collection unit, which collects the physical blocks allocated to the non-volatile memory; a bad block management unit, which manages a bad block; a power interruption recovery unit, which restores the storage apparatus using a logical block address, and fixed region and non-fixed region data indicators, stored in the non-volatile memory as a metadata in case of an unexpected power interruption; a block mapping table management unit, which manages a block mapping table indicating a mapping relationship between physical block numbers and virtual block numbers that are allocated to the physical block numbers; and a list storage unit, which stores an allocated block list enumerating allocated physical blocks and a free block list enumerating vacant physical blocks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of managing a storage apparatus, the method comprising:
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dividing a region of a non-volatile memory, which is used as a cache of a main storage medium, into a fixed region and a non-fixed region according to whether data is fixed or non-fixed; and managing physical blocks allocated to the fixed region and allocated to the non-fixed region using virtual addresses which are allocated to the physical blocks, respectively, wherein the managing the physical blocks comprises; allocating physical blocks to the non-volatile memory; collecting the physical blocks allocated to the non-volatile memory; managing a bad block; recovering from an unexpected power interruption using a logical block address, and fixed region and non-fixed region data indicators, stored in the non-volatile memory as a metadata; managing a block mapping table which indicates a mapping relationship between physical block numbers and virtual block numbers allocated to the physical block numbers; storing an allocated block list which enumerates allocated physical blocks; and storing a free block list which enumerates vacant physical blocks. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification