Abstract: A controller of a solid state drive initiates a repacking of data stored in a non-volatile memory of the solid state drive, wherein refreshing of the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive is performed during the repacking of the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive. Logical blocks are placed physically contiguously in an increasing order in pre-erased locations of the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive while the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive is being repacked.

Abstract: In one embodiment, sequential write stream management is employed to improve the sequential nature of write data placed in a storage such as a solid state drive, notwithstanding intermingling of write commands from various sequential and nonsequential streams from multiple processor nodes in a system. In one embodiment, write data from an identified sequential write stream is placed in a storage area assigned to that particular identified sequential write stream. In another aspect, detected sequential write streams are identified as a function of write velocity of the detected stream. Other aspects are described herein.

Abstract: Technologies for performing a data copy operation on a data storage device include storing a copy token in a power-fail-safe data structure that identifies the source address and destination address of the data copy operation, updating an address table to indicate that the source and destination addresses are involved in the data copy operation, and notifying a host requesting that data copy operation that the data copy operation has been completed prior to performing the data copy operation. The host may subsequently perform other tasks while the data storage device completes the data copy operation. During the data copy operation, data access requests to the source or destination addresses are blocked based on the address table. Additionally, should a power failure event occur, the power-fail-safe data structure is saved to non-volatile data storage so that the copy operation may be completed upon the next power-on event of the data storage device.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for write suppression to improve endurance rating of non-volatile memories, such as QLC-NAND SSDs or other relatively slow, low endurance non-volatile memories. In an embodiment, an SSD is configured with a fast frontend non-volatile memory, a relatively slow lower endurance backend non-volatile memory, and a frontend manager that selectively transfers data from the fast memory to the slow memory based on transfer criteria. In operation, write data from the host is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager. The data is moved from the fast memory to the slow memory in bands. For each data band stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks invalid data counts and data age. Only bands that still remain valid are transferred to the slow memory. After a given band has been fully transferred, it is erased and re-usable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager.

Abstract: Examples may include techniques to recover data from a solid state drive (SSD) using exclusive OR (XOR) parity information. Data saved to non-volatile types of block-erasable memory such as NAND memory included in the SSD may be recovered via use of XOR parity information saved to types of write-in-place memory such as a 3-dimensional cross-point memory also included in the SSD.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for exchanging information between a solid state drive (SSD) and a write-in-place non-volatile memory via a host device. In an embodiment, access control information defines state of the SSD, where the access control information determines and/or is based on an access by the host device to other non-volatile memory of the SSD. The access control information includes address conversion information defining a correspondence of a logical address with a physical address for a location of the other non-volatile memory of the SSD. At least some of the access control information is stored by the SSD to the write-in-place non-volatile memory for later retrieval by the SSD. In another embodiment, the SSD signals that a commit operation is to be performed to flush any cached or buffered access control information into the write-in-place non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for programming memory devices such as solid-state drives. In an embodiment, a memory controller is configured to execute a programming sequence that interleaves coarse and fine tuning steps for neighboring word lines. In one example, three consecutive word lines are programmed in six steps. At step 1, word line n is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 2, word line n+1 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 3, word line n is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 4, word line n+2 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 5, word line n+1 is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 6, word line n+2 is fine programmed to its target voltage level. No reads are allowed until all cell levels are programmed. Phase change memory may be used as staging buffer.

Abstract: Several systems and methods of chip select are described. In one such method, a device maintains two identifiers, (ID_a and ID_m). When the device receives a command, it examines the values of ID_a and ID_m relative to a third reference identifier (ID_s). If either ID_a or ID_m is equivalent to ID_s, the device executes the command, otherwise, the device ignores the command. By using two different identification methods, a system has options in choosing to activate devices, being able to selectively switch between selecting multiple devices and single devices in a quick manner. In another such method, a device may have a persistent area that stores identification information such as an ID_a. Thus, system functionality may remain independent from any defect/marginality associated with the physical or logical components required for initial ID_a assignment of all devices in the system.

Abstract: Several systems and methods of chip select are described. In one such method, a device maintains two identifiers, (ID_a and ID_m). When the device receives a command, it examines the values of ID_a and ID_m relative to a third reference identifier (ID_s). If either ID_a or ID_m is equivalent to ID_s, the device executes the command, otherwise, the device ignores the command. By using two different identification methods, a system has options in choosing to activate devices, being able to selectively switch between selecting multiple devices and single devices in a quick manner. In another such method, a device may have a persistent area that stores identification information such as an ID_a. Thus, system functionality may remain independent from any defect/marginality associated with the physical or logical components required for initial ID_a assignment of all devices in the system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, sequential write stream management is employed to improve the sequential nature of write data placed in a storage such as a solid state drive, notwithstanding intermingling of write commands from various sequential and nonsequential streams from multiple processor nodes in a system. In one embodiment, write data from an identified sequential write stream is placed in a storage area assigned to that particular identified sequential write stream. In another aspect, detected sequential write streams are identified as a function of write velocity of the detected stream. Other aspects are described herein.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to implement boot operations in nonvolatile storage devices are described. In one example, a controller comprises logic to receive a shutdown notification from a host device operating system, monitor modifications to one or more an indirection table segments for the nonvolatile memory during a shutdown process, and mark the one or more indirection table segments which were modified during the shutdown for fast loading during a subsequent boot process for the host device. Other examples are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to cost optimized Single Level Cell (SLC) write buffering for Three Level Cell (TLC) Solid State Drives (SSDs) are described. In one embodiment, non-volatile memory includes a first region in a Single Level Cell (SLC) mode and a second region in a multiple level cell mode. A portion of the second region is moved from the multiple level cell mode to the SLC mode, without adding any new capacity to the non-volatile memory and without reducing any existing capacity from the non-volatile memory. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A controller of a solid state drive initiates a repacking of data stored in a non-volatile memory of the solid state drive, wherein refreshing of the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive is performed during the repacking of the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive. Logical blocks are placed physically contiguously in an increasing order in pre-erased locations of the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive while the data stored in the non-volatile memory of the solid state drive is being repacked.

Abstract: Described is a system comprising: a storage device; a bus; and a host apparatus including a host memory and a driver module, wherein the host apparatus is coupled to the storage device via the bus, wherein the driver module is operable to: retrieve a logical to physical address mapping from the host memory; and provide the logical to physical address mapping to the storage device via the bus along with a read or write operation request. Described is a method comprising: retrieving a logical to physical address mapping from a host memory; and providing the logical to physical address mapping to a storage device via a bus along with a read or write operation request. Described is a machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to perform the method described above.

Abstract: Provided are a method and system for allocating read requests in a solid state drive coupled to a host. An arbiter in the solid state drive determines which of a plurality of channels in the solid state drive is a lightly loaded channel of a plurality of channels. Resources for processing one or more read requests intended for the determined lightly loaded channel are allocated, wherein the one or more read requests have been received from the host. The one or more read requests are placed in the determined lightly loaded channel for the processing. In certain embodiments, the lightly loaded channel is the most lightly loaded channel of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides systems, devices, methods and computer readable media for prevention of cable swap security attacks on storage devices. A host system may include a provisioning module configured to generate a challenge-response verification key-pair and further to provide the key-pair to the storage device to enable the challenge-response verification. The system may also include a link error detection module to detect a link error between the host system and the storage device. The system may further include a challenge-response protocol module configured to initiate, in response to the link-error detection, a verification challenge from the storage system and to provide a response to the verification challenge based on the key-pair.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing anti-malware protection on storage devices are described. In one embodiment, a storage device includes a controller, firmware, and memory. The firmware communicates with an authorized entity (e.g., external entity, operating system) to establish a secure communication channel. The system includes secure storage to securely store data.

Abstract: Embodiments include apparatuses, method, and systems for managing a transfer buffer associated with a non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, controller logic may be coupled to a non-volatile memory and a transfer buffer. The controller logic may read a plurality of sectors of data from the non-volatile memory and store the read sectors in the transfer buffer. The controller logic may further allocate individual sectors to pages according to a completion time of the read of individual sectors of the plurality of sectors, the individual pages including a plurality of the sectors. The controller logic may further write the pages of sectors to the non-volatile memory responsive to a determination that all sectors of the page have been read.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a command that specifies a logical block to trim in a storage device is acquired. An entry in a logical-to-physical address (L2P) table that contains a physical address that corresponds to the logical block may be set to point to an invalid address. A trim token that specifies the logical block may be generated. The trim token may be stored in a non-volatile storage contained in the storage device.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a command that specifies a logical block to trim in a storage device is acquired. An entry in a logical-to-physical address (L2P) table that contains a physical address that corresponds to the logical block may be set to point to an invalid address. A trim token that specifies the logical block may be generated. The trim token may be stored in a non-volatile storage contained in the storage device.