Systems and methods for a mass data storage system having a file-based interface to a host and a non-file-based interface to secondary storage

• US 9,104,315 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jpmorgan Chase Bank NA As The Agent
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Sinclair, Alan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rigol, Yaima
• Application Number:
  US11/196,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,660 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2201/845 Systems in which the redundancy can be transformed in increased performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2022 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/205 Hybrid memory, e.g. using both volatile and non-volatile memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7201 Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

System and method for transferring data between a host system and a data storage system is provided. The system includes an interface that uses a file based protocol to transfer data between the data storage system and the host system, wherein the data storage system includes a first mass storage device and a second mass storage device; wherein the first mass storage device is a solid state non-volatile memory device and the second mass storage device is a non-solid state memory device. The first mass storage device is a flash memory device that operates as a primary storage device that stores data on a file by file basis. The second mass storage device is a magnetic disk drive that operates as secondary storage device and stores data received via a logical interface.

Claims

1. A data storage system, comprising:

a first non-volatile mass storage device that interfaces with a host system via a first interface that uses a file based protocol wherein data is identified using a unique file identifier and an offset within a file, wherein the offset is configurable to point to a location in the file other than a beginning of the file; and

a second non-volatile mass storage device;

wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is a solid-state non-volatile memory that operates as a primary storage device, wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device is a magnetic hard disk that operates as a secondary storage device, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system and disk driver for interfacing with the magnetic hard disk via a logical interface that maps data files from a file based protocol to a logical address space within the second non-volatile mass storage, wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device does not interface with the host except through the first non-volatile mass storage device, and wherein data from the host system can be stored in the first non-volatile mass storage device and/or the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein the host system accesses both the first and second non-volatile mass storage device using the file based protocol such that the host system itself does not utilize logical addressing to access the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein data transferred between the second non-volatile mass storage device and the first non-volatile mass storage is facilitated by a disk controller located on the second non-volatile mass storage device.

2. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system to map data files to a logical address space of the second non-volatile mass storage device, which allows data transfer between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.

3. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device comprises a direct data file interface that accesses data from a flash memory on a file-by-file basis.

4. The data storage system of claim 3, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device transfers data from the flash memory to the host system using a file based format.

5. The data storage system of claim 3, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device uses the direct data file interface to transfer data to and from the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein the direct data file interface interfaces with a disk file system and a disk driver to send and/or receive data from the second non-volatile mass storage device via a logical interface.

6. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device has a faster access time and less storage capacity than access time and storage capacity of the second non-volatile mass storage device, and data can be accessed from the first non-volatile mass storage device if the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an unavailable state, or data can be accessed from both the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device when the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an available state.

7. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is used to save a first segment of a file received from the host system and the second non-volatile mass storage device is used to store a second segment of the file received from the host system.

8. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a cache for reading data from the second non-volatile mass storage device.

9. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a write cache for data that is written in the second non-volatile mass storage device.

10. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein a memory controller of the data storage system determines where file data received from the host system should be stored.

11. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device acts as a temporary back up for data that is written in the secondary non-volatile mass storage device.

12. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device stores executable application program files that are copied from the first non-volatile mass storage device and executed by the host system.

13. The data storage system of claim 1, wherein data is copied between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device as a background operation during periods of inactivity.

14. The data storage system of claim 13, wherein a buffer distinct from the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device is used to transfer data between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.

15. A data storage system, comprising:

a first non-volatile mass storage device that interfaces with a host system via a file based protocol wherein data is identified using a unique file identifier and an offset within a file, wherein the offset is configurable to point to a location in the file other than a beginning of the file;

wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is a solid-state non-volatile memory that operates as a primary storage device, wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device is a magnetic hard disk that operates as a secondary storage device, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system and disk driver to interface with the magnetic hard disk via a logical interface that maps data files from a file based protocol to a logical address space within the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device does not interface with the host except through the first non-volatile mass storage device, and wherein file data from the host system can be stored in the first non-volatile mass storage device and/or second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein the host system accesses both the first and second non-volatile mass storage device using the file based protocol such that the host system itself does not utilize logical addressing to access the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein data transferred between the second non-volatile mass storage device and the first non-volatile mass storage is facilitated by a disk controller located on the second non-volatile mass storage device.

16. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system that maps data files to a logical address space of the second non-volatile mass storage device, which allows data transfer between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.

17. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device has a faster access time and less storage capacity than access time and storage capacity of the second non-volatile mass storage device, and data can be accessed from the first non-volatile mass storage device if the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an unavailable state, or from both the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device when the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an available state.

18. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is used to save a first segment of a file received from the host system and the second non-volatile mass storage device is used to store a second segment of the file received from the host system.

19. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a cache for reading data from the second non-volatile mass storage device.

20. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a write cache for data that is written in the second non-volatile mass storage device.

21. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device acts as a temporary back up for data that is written in the secondary non-volatile storage device.

22. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device stores executable application program files that are copied from the first non-volatile mass storage device and executed by the host system.

23. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein data is copied between the first non-volatile storage mass device and the second non-volatile mass storage device as a background operation during periods of inactivity, wherein a buffer can be used to transfer data between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.

24. A system for transferring data between a host system and a data storage system, comprising:

an interface that uses a file based protocol wherein data is identified using a unique file identifier and an offset within a file to transfer data between the data storage system and the host system, wherein the offset is configurable to point to a location in the file other than a beginning of the file, wherein the data storage system includes a first non-volatile mass storage device and a second non-volatile mass storage device; and

the first non-volatile mass storage device stores data in a first format and the second non-volatile mass storage device stores data in a second format, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is a solid-state non-volatile memory that operates as a primary storage device, wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device is a magnetic hard disk that operates as a secondary storage device, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system and disk driver for interfacing with the magnetic hard disk via a logical interface that maps data files from a file based protocol to a logical address space within the second non-volatile mass storage device, and wherein the second non-volatile mass storage device does not interface with the host except through the first non-volatile mass storage device, wherein the host system accesses both the first and second non-volatile mass storage device using the file based protocol such that the host system itself does not utilize logical addressing to access the second non-volatile mass storage device, wherein data transferred between the second non-volatile mass storage device and the first non-volatile mass storage is facilitated by a disk controller located on the second non-volatile mass storage device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device includes a disk file system to map data files to a logical address space of the second non-volatile mass storage device, which allows data transfer between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device has a faster access time and less storage capacity than access time and storage capacity of the second non-volatile mass storage device, and data can be accessed from the first non-volatile mass storage device if the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an unavailable state, or data can be accessed from both the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device when the second non-volatile mass storage device is in an available state.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device is used to save a first segment of a file received from the host system and the second non-volatile mass storage device is used to store a second segment of the file received from the host system.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a cache for reading data from the second non-volatile mass storage device.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device operates as a write cache for data that is written in the second non-volatile mass storage device.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein a memory controller of the data storage system determines where file data received from the host system should be stored.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device acts as a temporary back up for data that is written in the secondary non-volatile mass storage device.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the first non-volatile mass storage device stores executable application program files that are copied from the first non-volatile mass storage device and executed by the host system.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein data is copied between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device as a background operation during periods of inactivity.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein a buffer distinct from the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device is used to transfer data between the first non-volatile mass storage device and the second non-volatile mass storage device.