Simulated power failure and data hardening

• US 9,244,785 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jpmorgan Chase Bank NA As The Agent
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Lucas, Gregg S., Delpapa, Kenneth B., Ellis, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehne, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/135,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20150135008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors

Abstract

The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power sequencing and data hardening in a storage device. In one aspect, a method includes, in response to a first signal received by the storage device, performing a soft power fail operation on a first section of the storage device. The soft power fail operation including: (1) signaling a power fail condition to a first plurality of controllers on the storage device, where the first plurality of controllers correspond to the first section of the storage device, (2) transferring data held in volatile memory of the storage device to non-volatile memory of the storage device, and (3) removing power from the first plurality of controllers.

Claims

1. A method of protecting data in a storage device comprising volatile memory and non-volatile memory, the method comprising:

in response to receiving or detecting a first signal to simulate a power failure, performing a soft power fail operation on a first section of the storage device, the soft power fail operation including;

signaling a power fail condition to a first plurality of controllers on the storage device, wherein the first plurality of controllers correspond to the first section of the storage device;

transferring data held in the volatile memory of the storage device to the non-volatile memory of the storage device; and

removing power from the first plurality of controllers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of controllers includes at least one non-volatile storage controller and at least one other storage controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of controllers includes a storage controller and one or more non-volatile memory (NVM) controllers, the one or more NVM controllers coupled by the storage controller to a host interface of the storage device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transferring data held in the volatile memory of the storage device to the non-volatile memory of the storage device includes:

transferring data from the storage controller to the one or more NVM controllers; and

transferring data from the one or more NVM controllers to the non-volatile memory.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein removing power from the first plurality of controllers includes:

resetting the storage controller subsequent to transferring data from the storage controller to the one or more NVM controllers; and

removing power from the storage controller subsequent to resetting the storage controller.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more NVM controllers include a first NVM controller and a second NVM controller, and wherein removing power from the first plurality of controllers includes:

resetting the first NVM controller subsequent to transferring data from the first NVM controller to the non-volatile memory;

resetting the second NVM controller subsequent to transferring data from the second NVM controller to the non-volatile memory; and

removing power from the first and the second NVM controllers subsequent to resetting the first and second NVM controllers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein removing power from the first and the second NVM controllers is subsequent to removing power from the storage controller.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft power fail operation further includes, subsequent to removing power from the first plurality of controllers, restoring power to the first plurality of controllers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device includes a second section that is not part of the first section;

and

wherein a second plurality of controllers on the storage device corresponding to the second section continue running independent of the soft power fail operation on the first section of the storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein removing power from the first plurality of controllers includes bringing an energy storage device to a discharged state.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy storage device is tested for quality.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft power fail operation further includes providing power to the first plurality of controllers on the storage device from an energy storage device distinct from a power source used during normal operation of the storage device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft power fail operation further includes, prior to removing power from the first plurality of controllers, installing firmware on at least a subset of the first plurality of controllers on the storage device.

14. The method of claim 1, further including:

in response to a second signal received by the storage device, performing a soft power fail operation on a second section of the storage device, distinct from the first section.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft power fail operation is controlled by a storage level microcontroller;

and

wherein, during the soft power fail operation, the storage level microcontroller receives status information from components in the first section of the storage device.

16. The method of claim 1, further including:

in response to a third signal received by the storage device, determining whether a power fail operation is in progress on the storage device; and

in accordance with a determination that the power fail operation is in progress, forgoing performance of a soft power fail operation in response to the third signal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein signaling the power fail condition to the first plurality of controllers on the storage device includes separately signaling the power fail condition to each controller in the first plurality of controllers.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording data regarding the soft power fail operation to non-volatile memory.

19. A storage device, comprising:

a first plurality of controllers, each of the first plurality of controllers configured to transfer data held in volatile memory to non-volatile memory; and

a data hardening module including an energy storage device, the data hardening module configured to;

receive or detect a first signal to simulate a power failure;

in response to receiving or detecting the first signal, perform a soft power fail operation on a first section of the storage device, the soft power fail operation including;

signaling a power fail condition to a second plurality of controllers on the storage device, wherein the second plurality of controllers correspond to the first section of the storage device and comprise some or all of the first plurality of controllers;

transferring data held in volatile memory to non-volatile memory; and

removing power from the first plurality of controllers.

20. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the second plurality of controllers includes at least one non-volatile storage controller and at least one other storage controller.

21. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the second plurality of controllers includes a storage controller and one or more non-volatile memory (NVM) controllers, the one or more NVM controllers coupled by the storage controller to a host interface of the storage device.

22. The storage device of claim 21, wherein transferring data held in the volatile memory of the storage device to the non-volatile memory of the storage device includes:

transferring data from the storage controller to the one or more NVM controllers; and

transferring data from the one or more NVM controllers to the non-volatile memory.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a storage device having a plurality of controllers and a data hardening module, the one or more programs including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors of the storage device cause the storage device to:

receive or detect a first signal to simulate a power failure;

in response to receiving or detecting the first signal, perform a soft power fail operation on a first section of the storage device, the soft power fail operation including;

signaling a power fail condition to a first plurality of controllers on the storage device, wherein the first plurality of controllers correspond to the first section of the storage device;

transferring data held in volatile memory to non-volatile memory; and

removing power from the first plurality of controllers.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium associated with each of the plurality of controllers on the storage device and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium associated with the data hardening module.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the first plurality of controllers includes at least one non-volatile storage controller and at least one other storage controller.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the first plurality of controllers includes a storage controller and one or more non-volatile memory (NVM) controllers, the one or more NVM controllers coupled by the storage controller to a host interface of the storage device.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein transferring data held in the volatile memory of the storage device to the non-volatile memory of the storage device includes:

transferring data from the storage controller to the one or more NVM controllers; and

transferring data from the one or more NVM controllers to the non-volatile memory.