Abstract: A method is described that includes performing the following by a device driver of a non volatile storage device: caching information targeted for the storage device into a non volatile region of a system memory without writing the information through into the storage device.

Abstract: A host based caching technique may be used to determine caching policies for a hybrid hard disk drive. Because the host based caching may make use of knowledge about what data is being cached, improved performance may be achieved in some cases.

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: A host based caching technique may be used to determine caching policies for a hybrid hard disk drive. Because the host based caching may make use of knowledge about what data is being cached, improved performance may be achieved in some cases.

Abstract: A host based caching technique may be used to determine caching policies for a hybrid hard disk drive. Because the host based caching may make use of knowledge about what data is being cached, improved performance may be achieved in some cases.

Abstract: A method for trimming data on non-volatile flash media is generally presented. In this regard, in one embodiment, a method is introduced comprising allocating a temporary file that occupies free space on a flash memory, determining specific blocks of the flash memory that the temporary file occupies, generating TRIM commands for the specific blocks, and deleting the temporary file. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and system to perform caching based at least on one or more file-level heuristics. The caching of a storage medium in a caching device is performed by a cache policy engine. The cache policy engine receives file-level information of input/output access of data of the storage medium and caches or evicts the data of the storage medium in the caching device based on the received file-level information. By utilizing information about the files and file operations associated with the disk sectors or logical block addresses of the storage medium, the cache policy engine can make a better decision on the data selection of the storage medium to be cached in or evicted from the caching device in one embodiment of the invention. Higher cache hit rates can be achieved and the performance of the system utilizing the cache policy engine is improved.

Abstract: A system and method for a virtualization aware hard drive. A method may include issuing a context command and an input/output (I/O) command by a virtual machine to either a hardware controller or a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The controller (or VMM) fills in a context tag that corresponds to the context command and the I/O command. The controller (or VMM) provides the context tag and the I/O command to a virtualization aware hard drive. The context tag provides context to the hard drive for the I/O command. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for trimming data on non-volatile flash media is generally presented. In this regard, in one embodiment, a method is introduced comprising allocating a temporary file that occupies free space on a flash memory, determining specific blocks of the flash memory that the temporary file occupies, generating TRIM commands for the specific blocks, and deleting the temporary file. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and system to perform caching based at least on one or more file-level heuristics. The caching of a storage medium in a caching device is performed by a cache policy engine. The cache policy engine receives file-level information of input/output access of data of the storage medium and caches or evicts the data of the storage medium in the caching device based on the received file-level information. By utilizing information about the files and file operations associated with the disk sectors or logical block addresses of the storage medium, the cache policy engine can make a better decision on the data selection of the storage medium to be cached in or evicted from the caching device in one embodiment of the invention. Higher cache hit rates can be achieved and the performance of the system utilizing the cache policy engine is improved.

Abstract: In some embodiments a determination is made as to whether a file is to be placed on a slower drive of a logical storage volume span or a faster drive of the logical storage volume span. The file is placed on the slower drive or the faster drive based on the determining, and a user does not need to be aware of whether the file has been placed on the slower drive or the faster drive. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system and method for a virtualization aware hard drive. A method may include issuing a context command and an input/output (I/O) command by a virtual machine to either a hardware controller or a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The controller (or VMM) fills in a context tag that corresponds to the context command and the I/O command. The controller (or VMM) provides the context tag and the I/O command to a virtualization aware hard drive. The context tag provides context to the hard drive for the I/O command. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flotation system designed to be incorporated into an existing snowmobile and including a plurality of floats which may be inflated either selectively or automatically. The device is intended to be incorporated into a snowmobile which is used on ice covered bodies of water. Sometimes, during such use, the ice breaks causing the snowmobile to sink and thereby be destroyed. Through the use of the present invention, flotation is provided to maintain the snowmobile in a floating position to allow safe retrieval.

Abstract: The invention is a small wedge shaped flap (20) for attachment to or near the trailing edge (14) of a airfoil (10) which improves the coefficient of lift and reduces the coefficient of drag providing an overall increase in fuel ecomony at cruise conditions. In detail the wedge shaped flap (20) has a downward height (26) of between 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the chord (16) of the airfoil (10) and has an included angle (30) to the chord of between 15.degree. and 45.degree.. The wedge flap is preferably placed at distance (24) of between 0 to 1.0 percent of the chord (16) from the trailing edge (14).