Abstract: When a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive (HDD) performs additional SMR band copy and/or flush operations to ensure that data associated with logical bands that are adjacent or proximate in logical space are stored in physical locations in the SMR HDD that are proximate in physical space. As a result, efficient execution is ensured of read commands that span multiple logical bands of the SMR HDD.

Abstract: When a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive (HDD) performs additional SMR band copy and/or flush operations to ensure that data associated with logical bands that are adjacent or proximate in logical space are stored in physical locations in the SMR HDD that are proximate in physical space. As a result, efficient execution is ensured of read commands that span multiple logical bands of the SMR HDD.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: A hybrid drive and associated methods provide low-overhead storage of a hibernation file in the hybrid hard disk drive. During operation, the hybrid drive allocates a portion of solid-state memory in the drive that is large enough to accommodate a hibernation file associated with a host device of the hybrid drive. In addition to the erased memory blocks that are normally present during operation of the hybrid drive, the portion of solid-state memory allocated for accommodating the hibernation file may include over-provisioned memory blocks, blocks used to store a previous hibernation file that has been trimmed, and/or non-dirty blocks.

Abstract: A hybrid drive and associated methods increase the rate at which data are transferred to a nonvolatile storage medium in the hybrid drive. By using a large nonvolatile solid state memory device as cache memory for a magnetic disk drive, a very large number of write commands can be cached and subsequently reordered and executed in an efficient manner. In addition, strategic selection and reordering of only a portion of the write commands stored in the nonvolatile solid state memory device increases efficiency of the reordering process.

Abstract: A hybrid drive and associated methods provide low-overhead storage of a hibernation file in the hybrid hard disk drive. During operation, the hybrid drive allocates a portion of solid-state memory in the drive that is large enough to accommodate a hibernation file associated with a host device of the hybrid drive. In addition to the erased memory blocks that are normally present during operation of the hybrid drive, the portion of solid-state memory allocated for accommodating the hibernation file may include over-provisioned memory blocks, blocks used to store a previous hibernation file that has been trimmed, and/or non-dirty blocks.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: A hybrid drive and associated methods increase the rate at which data are transferred to a nonvolatile storage medium in the hybrid drive. By using a large nonvolatile solid state memory device as cache memory for a magnetic disk drive, a very large number of write commands can be cached and subsequently reordered and executed in an efficient manner. In addition, strategic selection and reordering of only a portion of the write commands stored in the nonvolatile solid state memory device increases efficiency of the reordering process.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device and a non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device that measures a hit rate of read/write commands that result in accesses to the non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device, and adjusts a length of a time period, such as an idle time, based on the hit rate. The duration of the time period can be set each time the magnetic storage device is accessed. Upon expiration of the time period, if the magnetic storage device has not yet been accessed, the magnetic storage device is changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device and a non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device that measures a hit rate of read/write commands that result in accesses to the non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device, and adjusts a length of a time period, such as an idle time, based on the hit rate. The duration of the time period can be set each time the magnetic storage device is accessed. Upon expiration of the time period, if the magnetic storage device has not yet been accessed, the magnetic storage device is changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: A hybrid drive controller maintains a deferred trim list that holds a subset of logical addresses of writes performed on magnetic disks. For example, if a write command is issued to an LBA space that overlaps a portion stored in flash memory and the write is to be performed on the magnetic disks, the trimming of the overlapping portion in the flash memory will be deferred. Instead of trimming, the logical addresses associated with the overlapping portion will be added to the deferred trim list and trimming of the logical addresses in the deferred trim list will be carried out at a later time, asynchronous to the write that caused them to be added to the list.