System, method, and computer program product for delaying an operation that reduces a lifetime of memory

• US 7,809,900 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: SandForce, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Danilak, Radoslav
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US11/852,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/112, 711/154, 711170-172, 711/E12.001, 711/E12.008
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1036 Life time enhancement

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for delaying operations that reduce a lifetime of memory. In use, at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of memory is identified. To this end, at least one operation that reduces the lifetime of the memory is delayed, based on the aspect.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving by a storage controller and from a host processor a command initiating an operation to be applied to storage devices;

determining by the storage controller if the operation is of a type that reduces a lifetime of the storage devices;

conditionally delaying at least a part of the operation based on the determining;

computing an estimated lifetime of the storage devices based on the operation;

comparing the estimated lifetime with a required lifetime; and

wherein the conditionally delaying is further based on the comparing, the computing is based on an integral function including a rate of operations of the type that reduces a lifetime of the storage devices, the rate of operations of the type that reduces the lifetime of the storage devices is enabled to exceed a maximum average rate of operations of the type that reduces the lifetime of the storage devices, and the maximum average rate is based on the required lifetime.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lifetime includes at least one of a desired lifetime, an actual lifetime, and an estimated lifetime.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the part of the operation is delayed by delaying the command that initiates the operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying is further based on an application that initiates the operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying is independent of an application that initiates the operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation includes an erase operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation includes a program operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditionally delaying the at least the part of the operation if a desired lifetime duration exceeds an estimated lifetime duration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditionally delaying the at least the part of the operation based on historical use of the storage devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditionally delaying the at least the part of the operation based on predicted use of the storage devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditionally delaying the at least the part of the operation based on an integral function of use of the storage devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditionally delay is further based on a time interval during which the operation is initiated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the time interval includes at least one of a time of the day, a day of the week, and a month of the year.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein only the part of the operation is delayed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a mechanical storage device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a non-mechanical storage device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a volatile memory device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage devices include a nonvolatile memory device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the nonvolatile memory device includes at least one of single-bit per cell NOR flash memory, multi-bit per cell NOR flash memory, single-bit per cell NAND flash memory, multi-bit per cell NAND flash memory, multi-level-multi-bit per cell NAND flash, and large block flash memory.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is based on a time interval during which the operation is initiated.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, to a user of the storage devices, the estimated lifetime.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the displaying utilizes a graphical user interface.

23. A method, comprising:

receiving by a storage controller and from a host processor a command initiating a first operation to be applied to storage devices;

determining by the storage controller if the first operation is of a type that reduces a lifetime of the storage devices;

conditionally delaying at least a part of the first operation based on the determining;

subsequent to the receiving by the storage controller the first operation, receiving by the storage controller a second operation;

evaluating if the second operation depends upon the first operation; and

conditionally delaying at least a part of the second operation based on the evaluating.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the conditionally delaying is further based on a priority of the operation.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the storage devices are non-mechanical, nonvolatile memory devices.