Abstract: An application programming interface (API) that enables installation of an application as one or more key-value objects on a data storage drive such as a hard disk drive, a solid state drive or a hybrid drive. The API also enables execution of the application within a controlled environment of the data storage drive.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a data storage medium having a plurality of tracks. The apparatus also includes a write history buffer configured to store a history of prior write commands to the plurality of tracks. The apparatus further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the write history buffer. The controller is configured to receive a new write command directed to a first portion of a first track of the plurality of tracks on the data storage medium. The controller is further configured to determine whether to update ATI contribution measures from the first track based on the history of write commands to the first track.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for distributing wear in a disc stack. A data transducer is used to record data to a data recording surface in the disc stack. Performance statistics are accumulated including a dwell metric value indicative of dwell time of the transducer adjacent a selected radial location and an operational life metric value indicative of accumulated elapsed operation of the transducer. Data are migrated from the selected radial location to a target location within the disc stack responsive to at least a selected one of the dwell metric value or the operational life metric value. In some cases, the dwell metric value may indicate an estimated amount of lubricant disturbance and the operational life operation may indicate operational hours of a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) element. The target location may be on a different data recording surface having an associated transducer with a lower operational life metric value.

Abstract: A data storage device including an interface, a first actuator, a second actuator, an auxiliary controller, and a primary controller. The auxiliary controller is configured to control positioning of the second actuator. The primary controller is configured to control positioning of the first actuator. The primary controller is communicatively coupled between the interface and the auxiliary controller.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are operable in a computing system. The computing system receives first and second commands (e.g., I/O commands). The computing system determines that the first command has a higher priority than the second I/O command, and queues the second command for servicing at a later time. The computing system services the first command, and services the second command after a timeout period based on performance degradation limit that decreases command processing performance of the computing system, overrides the timeout period, and increases a probability of executing the second command.

Abstract: A method for scheduling data transfer commands between a first actuator or a second actuator across an interface is disclosed. The method includes balancing data transfer commands between the first actuator and the second actuator by applying a first rule for read commands and a second rule for write commands.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a storage tier and a storage controller operably coupled to the storage tier and configured to be communicatively coupled to a host device. The storage controller includes a first memory operably coupled to the storage controller and configured to store a superseding data structure. The storage controller further includes a second memory operably coupled to the storage controller and configured to store a forward map configured to map a plurality of logical block addresses to physical locations on the storage tier. The storage controller further includes a sifting module configured to sift the forward map based on data contained in the superseding data structure. The storage controller further includes a compression module configured to compress the forward map to generate a compressed forward map.

Abstract: An exemplary data refresh method disclosed herein reading data into volatile memory from a first storage region using a read element controlled by a first actuator assembly and writing the data from the volatile memory to a second storage region using a write element controlled by a second actuator assembly, where the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly are configured to receive data from control circuitry via independent read/write communication channels.

Abstract: In accordance with one implementation, a method for mitigating cache transfer time entails reading data into memory from at least two consecutive elliptical data tracks in a main store region of data storage and writing the data read from the at least two consecutive elliptical data tracks to a spiral data track within a cache storage region.

Abstract: A method includes adding a key version tag to an encryption key store that stores encryption keys. The key version tag is inserted into a data stream. The data stream including the key version tag is written to media. The data in the data stream is erased by scrambling the encryption keys and incrementing the key version tag in the encryption store by a digit. The data stream is replaced with a replacement data pattern when the key version tag stored in the encryption store and the key version tag located in the data stream mismatch.

Abstract: In accordance with one implementation, a method for reducing cache service time includes determining an access time parameter associated with movement of a read/write head to an access location for each of a plurality of contiguous cache storage segments and dynamically selecting one of the plurality of contiguous cache storage segments to store data based on the determined access time parameter.

Abstract: In accordance with one implementation, a method for mitigating cache transfer time entails reading data into memory from at least two consecutive elliptical data tracks in a main store region of data storage and writing the data read from the at least two consecutive elliptical data tracks to a spiral data track within a cache storage region.

Abstract: A hybrid data storage device disclosed herein includes a main data store, one or more data storage caches, and a data storage cache management sub-system. The hybrid data storage device is configured to limit write operations on the one or more data storage caches to less than an endurance value for the data storage cache. In one implementation, the data storage cache management sub-system limits or denies requests for promotion of data from the main data store to the one or more data storage caches. In another implementation, the data storage cache management sub-system limits garbage collection operations on the data storage cache.

Abstract: A wear mitigation system can be implemented in a data storage device. A data storage medium may be separated from a transducing head by an air bearing. A controller connected to the data storage medium and transducing head can be configured to reassign a physical address of the data storage medium from an unusable condition to a usable condition as a result of a self-healing of the data storage medium predicted by the controller.

Abstract: An exemplary data refresh method disclosed herein reading data into volatile memory from a first storage region using a read element controlled by a first actuator assembly and writing the data from the volatile memory to a second storage region using a write element controlled by a second actuator assembly, where the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly are configured to receive data from control circuitry via independent read/write communication channels.

Abstract: A wear mitigation system can be implemented in a data storage device. A data storage medium may be separated from a transducing head by an air bearing. A controller connected to the data storage medium and transducing head can be configured to reassign a physical address of the data storage medium from an unusable condition to a usable condition as a result of a self-healing of the data storage medium predicted by the controller.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for distributing wear in a data storage system. In some embodiments, a first data transducer is used to record data to a first data recording surface. Performance statistics are accumulated including a dwell metric value indicative of relative dwell time of the first transducer adjacent a selected radial location on the first data recording surface and an operational life metric value indicative of accumulated elapsed operation of the first transducer. A data migration mode is enacted to migrate data from the selected radial location to a local memory in a hierarchical memory structure responsive to at least a selected one of the dwell metric value or the operational life metric value. Host access commands are temporarily serviced from the local memory, after which the data are returned to the selected radial location or a new location in a disc stack main memory store.

Abstract: An exemplary data refresh method disclosed herein reading data into volatile memory from a first storage region using a read element controlled by a first actuator assembly and writing the data from the volatile memory to a second storage region using a write element controlled by a second actuator assembly, where the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly are configured to receive data from control circuitry via independent read/write communication channels.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for distributing wear in a disc stack. A data transducer is used to record data to a data recording surface in the disc stack. Performance statistics are accumulated including a dwell metric value indicative of dwell time of the transducer adjacent a selected radial location and an operational life metric value indicative of accumulated elapsed operation of the transducer. Data are migrated from the selected radial location to a target location within the disc stack responsive to at least a selected one of the dwell metric value or the operational life metric value. In some cases, the dwell metric value may indicate an estimated amount of lubricant disturbance and the operational life operation may indicate operational hours of a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) element. The target location may be on a different data recording surface having an associated transducer with a lower operational life metric value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for probabilistic aging command sorting, including adjusting an execution order for a command based on a probability of the command reaching a time out threshold. Various example embodiments are directed to selecting a command for execution from a queue of commands awaiting execution, in which the commands have non-uniform attributes influencing their selection and a time limit within which to execute them. In some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to calculate a first estimated access time to execute a selected command from a command queue, modify the first estimated access time based on a probability of the selected command reaching a time-out age threshold to determine a time out-adjusted access time, and execute the selected command in an order based on the time out-adjusted access time.