Hints model for optimization of storage devices connected to host and write optimization schema for storage devices

• US 7,853,759 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Alexander, Robin, Shu, Frank, Obr, Nathan, Sadovsky, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hiep T
• Application Number:
  US11/856,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

Architecture for data communications optimization based on generating and communicating “intents” or “hints” to a storage device and faster/slower solid state memory optimization. Data destined for storage on the storage device (capable of hints processing) can be bracketed to take advantage of improved performance associated with the hints processing. Data can be communicated in block format such that individual series of block exchanges can occur. Hints processing can be optional at the storage device. When communicated to the storage device firmware facilitates optimization of internal data flow and device operation. A write optimization schema is provided for storage system such as solid state storage devices. For example, frequently-modified data can be stored in faster memory to provide more efficient overall application data processing, and less-frequently modified data can be processed into and out of lower cost (or slower) memory.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented memory management system, comprising:

a data storage subsystem of a host system for storing data, the subsystem reporting operational capabilities of a subsystem operating mode for handling the data to the host system; and

a hints component that employs a hints protocol for communicating operational hints to the subsystem from the host system, to facilitate a formal communications pipe for the data between a software layer of the host system to the subsystem based on the operating mode, to improve data operations between the host system and the subsystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol applies to communications of data blocks in at least one of the host system or to network connected block storage devices, and tags a series of block exchanges for communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data storage subsystem includes a hints algorithm in subsystem firmware as part of the hints component for optimizing data handling in the subsystem.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the subsystem includes a solid state device for storing the data according to block writes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol includes block range information that defines a set of blocks desired to be accessed, and in response to receiving, the subsystem stores the set of block in a contiguous manner.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the subsystem includes sets of solid state memory each operating at a different speed, the subsystem stores frequently-accessed data in a faster solid state memory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the hints component signals the subsystem to store a block of the data in a specific set of the sets of solid state memory.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the host system employs an adaptive algorithm for monitoring write activity of data stored in the subsystem, which subsystem includes a solid state drive, such that frequently-modified data is stored in the solid state drive.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the solid state drive includes fast memory and slow memory such that the frequently-modified data is stored in the fast memory and less-frequently-modified data is stored in the slow memory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol includes data maintenance information that defines memory locations that the subsystem should write to before reading.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol includes frequency information that defines if the data will be updated frequently or infrequently based on predetermined criteria.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol includes latency information which defines urgency in which the data is desired to be accessed relative to other data being accessed.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the hints protocol includes allocation information which defines an intended delivery of data to the subsystem, in response to which the subsystem prepares memory locations for the data delivery.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the software layer is an operating system, supporting one or more input/output filters for prioritizing or filtering hints information received from higher-level applications before sending the hints information to the subsystem.

15. A computer-implemented method of managing memory, comprising acts of:

receiving hints mode data from a storage device of a host related to an operating mode for handling data blocks, the hints mode data indicating to an application that the device can operate according to a hints protocol for optimized communications and data handling;

packing data of the application according to the hints protocol for communication to the device;

sending the packed data from the application to the device; and

storing the data on the device according to the hints mode data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the application is one of a host operating system, a host application, or an application of a remote system.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

packing the data as a sequence of data blocks for block communications and storage on the device; and

allocating and de-allocating memory locations based on the hints mode data.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving data between fast memory and slow memory in the device based on frequency of modifications to the data.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the packed data is communicated in a sequence of block writes to contiguous memory locations in the device.

20. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for receiving hints mode data from a storage device of a host related to an operating mode for handling data blocks, the hints mode data indicating to an application that the device can operate according to a hints protocol for optimized communications and data handling;

computer-implemented means for packing data of an application according to a hints protocol for communication to the device;

computer-implemented means for sending the packed data from the application to the device; and

computer-implemented means for storing the data on the device according to the hints mode data.