Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a first device and an initialization module that performs a default initialization procedure on the first device in response to detecting the first device has an unknown manufacturing origin. Conducting the default initialization procedure may allow the first device to service data access requests from the host. In response to the connection of a second device to the host and initialization module, a manufacturing origin of the second device is identified with the initialization module before the initialization module customizes the default initialization procedure to a custom procedure that is executed to allow the second device to satisfy a background operation prescribed by the initialization module.

Abstract: A data storage system may connect a host to a device and a hardware module that are utilized to satisfy at least one host-generated data access request to the device. A portion of the device is set as dormant by the hardware module prior to identifying an origin of the device with the hardware module during the satisfaction of the at least one host-generated data access request. In response to the identified origin, the previously dormant portion of the device is activated and subsequently utilized to execute a task assigned by the hardware module.

Abstract: A data storage system may connect a host to a device and a hardware module that are utilized to satisfy at least one host-generated data access request to the device. A portion of the device is set as dormant by the hardware module prior to identifying an origin of the device with the hardware module during the satisfaction of the at least one host-generated data access request. In response to the identified origin, the previously dormant portion of the device is activated and subsequently utilized to execute a task assigned by the hardware module.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for executing controller memory buffer (CMB) based data transfer commands in a distributed data processing environment. In some embodiments, a storage device having a device controller and a main non-volatile memory (NVM) is coupled to a client device via an interface. The client device respectively issues normal data transfer commands and bypass data transfer commands to the storage device. The normal data transfer commands include read and write commands that result in transfer of data between the NVM and the client device using a normal data path through the storage device. The bypass data transfer commands involve an allocated CMB of the storage device directly controlled and accessed by the client device. In this way, write data are directly placed into the CMB for writing to the NVM, and readback data from the NVM are directly recovered from the CMB by the client device.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system may connect a host to a device and a dedication module. The dedication module can identify a manufacturing origin of the device before dedicating a type of host-generated data access request to the device. The type of host-generated data access request is chosen by the dedication module in response to an operating capability correlated to the device by the dedication module based on the identified manufacturing origin. At least one host-generated request of the dedicated type is then completed with the device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for executing hidden computational functions in a distributed data processing environment. In some embodiments, a trust boundary includes a target device such as a storage device, and a source device such as a client device in a computer network. A storage device processor executes a hidden command function (HCF) routine to accumulate HCF output data in a local cache responsive to an HCF command received from the client device over a data interface. The processor further establishes a smaller retention boundary within the trust boundary that includes the storage device and excludes the client device. The HCF output data are stored locally in a non-volatile memory (NVM) of the storage device while not transferring any portion of the HCF output data outside the retention boundary, including to the client device. The HCF routine can update a block-chain ledger or take some other form to provide data security.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a device and a distribution module. The distribution module identifies a manufacturing origin of the device and diverts a system operation from an upstream component connected to the distribution module to the device in response to the identified manufacturing origin of the device. The manufacturer installed operating parameters of the device are then used to complete the system operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for servicing data transfer commands in a computer environment using a selected protocol such as NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express). In some embodiments, a secure connection is established between a client device and a bridge device across an interface. A controller of the bridge device presents a unitary namespace as an available memory space to the client device. The controller further communicates with a plurality of downstream target devices to allocate individual namespaces within main memory stores of each of the target devices to form a consolidated namespace to support the unitary namespace presented to the controller. In this way, the bridge device can operate as an NVMe controller with respect to the client device for the unitary namespace, and as a virtual client device to each of the target devices which operate as embedded NVMe controllers for the individual namespaces.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a first device and an initialization module that performs a default initialization procedure on the first device in response to detecting the first device has an unknown manufacturing origin. Conducting the default initialization procedure may allow the first device to service data access requests from the host. In response to the connection of a second device to the host and initialization module, a manufacturing origin of the second device is identified with the initialization module before the initialization module customizes the default initialization procedure to a custom procedure that is executed to allow the second device to satisfy a background operation prescribed by the initialization module.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for offloading upstream processing tasks to peer groups of downstream data storage devices. A peer control circuit forms a peer group of storage devices in response to a detected processing bottleneck associated with a network controller. One of the storage devices in the peer group is designated as a primary device, and is responsible for interface communications, for subdividing the processing task for execution by secondary devices in the peer group, and coordinating overall execution. The peer group and the processing task are selected to avoid or minimize the processing bottleneck at the network controller level while maintaining ongoing data transfer performance at the storage device level. A list of available device resources and capabilities may be maintained by the peer control circuit. Offloaded tasks can include data rebuilds, cryptographic functions, new device authentication operations, and the like. Multiple overlapping peer groups can be formed as needed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for maintaining real-time coherency between a local cache of a target device and a client cache of a source device during execution of a distributed computational function. In some embodiments, a source device, such as a host computer, is coupled via a network interface to a target device, such as a data storage device. A storage compute function (SCF) command is transferred from the source device to the target device. A local cache of the target device accumulates output data during the execution of an associated SCF over an execution time interval. Real-time coherency is maintained between the contents of the local cache and a client cache of the source device, so that the client cache retains continuously updated copies of the contents of the local cache during execution of the SCF. The coherency can be carried out on a time-based granularity or an operational granularity.

Abstract: A data storage device can employ recording surface-level resolution with as part of a computing system where the data storage device has a first recording surface configured with an initial areal density. By monitoring data storage operation of the data storage device with a connected resolution module, a resolution strategy can be generated with the resolution module based on the monitored data storage operation. The initial areal density may then be changed to an altered areal density prescribed by the resolution strategy.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to adjusting a fly height of a transducer to enable a first data access with a storage medium rotating at a first speed, rotating the storage medium at a second speed substantially different from the first speed, and adjusting the fly height of the transducer to enable a second data access with the storage medium rotating at the second speed.