Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to store crash-dump information in a boot partition following a system crash within the data storage controller. Within illustrative examples described herein, the boot partition may be read by a host device without the host first re-installing valid firmware into the data storage controller following the system crash. In the illustrative examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for boot partitions in the NVM. The illustrative examples additionally describe virtual boot partitions in random access memory (RAM) for storing crash-dump information if the NAND has been corrupted, where the crash-dump information is retrieved from the RAM without power-cycling the RAM.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND device or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to retrieve configuration information from a NAND boot partition during an initialization procedure initiated by a host. Within illustrative examples described herein, the configuration information stored in the NAND boot partition is provided in addition to configuration information stored within physical layer register sets of the data storage controller. In the examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for NAND boot partitions. In these examples, the use of the NAND boot partition allows an NVM device manufacturer to implement at least some new features in firmware or software within an existing NVM card, without modifying the physical layer registers.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND device or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to retrieve configuration information from a NAND boot partition during an initialization procedure initiated by a host. Within illustrative examples described herein, the configuration information stored in the NAND boot partition is provided in addition to configuration information stored within physical layer register sets of the data storage controller. In the examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for NAND boot partitions. In these examples, the use of the NAND boot partition allows an NVM device manufacturer to implement at least some new features in firmware or software within an existing NVM card, without modifying the physical layer registers.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to store crash-dump information in a boot partition following a system crash within the data storage controller. Within illustrative examples described herein, the boot partition may be read by a host device without the host first re-installing valid firmware into the data storage controller following the system crash. In the illustrative examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for boot partitions in the NVM. The illustrative examples additionally describe virtual boot partitions in random access memory (RAM) for storing crash-dump information if the NAND has been corrupted, where the crash-dump information is retrieved from the RAM without power-cycling the RAM.