Abstract: A garbage collection method comprises selecting one or blocks in a SSD of a hybrid drive for garbage collection; determining a state of data of the one or more selected blocks, wherein the state suggests a location and temperature of data; and executing a garbage collection efficiency and caching efficiency action on the data of the one or more selected blocks based on the determined state. The garbage collection process may utilize the state information provided by the cache layer of the hybrid drive to make decisions regarding data in the one or more selected blocks.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing data in a distributed data storage system. In some embodiments, a plurality of storage devices define an overall available memory space. A control circuit stores a first copy of user data from a selected distributed data set in a working set of memory buffers, stores a duplicate, second copy of the user data in an alias set of memory buffers, generates parity data based on the second copy of the user data in the alias set of the memory buffers, and flushes the user data and the parity data from the alias set of memory buffers to the storage devices while the first copy of the user data remains in the working set of the memory buffers. In this way, subsequently received access commands can be serviced using the working set of the memory buffers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for active power management are described. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include obtaining power dissipation metrics for a plurality of components under one or more operating scenarios, generating a reference dissipation model based on the power dissipation metrics of the plurality of components, and implementing the reference dissipation model in a storage system to make component scheduling decisions in relation to power management of the storage system. In some embodiments, the storage system includes any combination of a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a hybrid drive, and a system of multiple storage drives.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing read latency by storing a redundant copy of data are described. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include identifying data assigned to be written to a page of a storage device, storing the data in a page of a first die of the storage device, and saving at least one codeword from the data to a page of a second die. In some embodiments, the first die is associated with a first channel of the storage device and the second die is associated with a second channel of the storage device.

Abstract: A data storage device can have at least a buffer memory, a selection module, and a non-volatile memory. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may consist of different types of memory while the non-volatile memory has one or more rewritable in-place memory cells. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may each store data associated with a pending data request as directed by the selection module until a settle time of the rewritable in-place memory cell has expired.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for asynchronous discovery of processing and storage nodes coupled via an expander switch in a fabric. In some embodiments, an initiator device operates as a processing node to transfer data to and from a non-volatile memory (NVM) of a target device at a storage node. One of the initiator or target devices is activated prior to the other device. The second activated device broadcasts a discovery command responsive to the activation of the second activated device and prior to receipt of a request for the discovery command from the first activated device. The first activated device processes the discovery command to establish an I/O communication link between the first activated device and the second activated device. The discovery command may include a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) controller list, and the NVM may be arranged as one or more NVMe namespaces.

Abstract: A first operation identifier is assigned to a first operation directed to a memory component, the first operation identifier having an entry in a first data structure that associates the first operation identifier with a first plurality of buffer identifiers. It is determined whether the first operation collides with a prior operation assigned a second operation identifier, the second operation identifier having an entry in the first data structure that associates the second operation identifier with a second plurality of buffer identifiers. It is determined whether the first operation is a read or a write operation. In response to determining that the first operation collides with the prior operation and that the first operation is a read operation, the first plurality of buffer identifiers are updated with a buffer identifier included in the second plurality of buffer identifiers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for limiting performance variation in a storage device are described. Storage devices receive work requests to perform one or more operations from other computing devices, such as a host computing device. Completing the work requests may take a response time. In some embodiments, if the response time of executing the work request exceeds a threshold, the storage device may assign additional computing resources to complete the work request.

Abstract: Systems and methods for limiting performance variation in a storage device are described. Storage devices receive work requests to perform one or more operations from other computing devices, such as a host computing device. Completing the work requests may take a response time. In some embodiments, if the response time of executing the work request exceeds a threshold, the storage device may assign additional computing resources to complete the work request.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing data in a hybrid data storage device. The device has a first non-volatile memory (NVM) of solid state memory cells arranged into a first set of garbage collection units (GCUs), and a second NVM as a rotatable data recording medium arranged into a second set of GCUs each comprising a plurality of shingled magnetic recording tracks. A control circuit combines a first group of logical block units (LBUs) stored in the first set of GCUs with a second group of LBUs stored in the second set of GCUs to form a combined group of LBUs arranged in sequential order by logical address. The control circuit streams the combined group of LBUs to a zone of shingled magnetic recording tracks in a selected one of the second set of GCUs. A combined media translation map identifies physical addresses in both the first and second NVMs.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for selection of a subset of available non-volatile memory devices in an array to receive a dirty cache data of a volatile cache responsive to detection of a power failure. In one implementation, the selection of the non-volatile memory devices is based on one or more predictive power parameters usable to estimate a time remaining during which a reserve power supply can support a cache offload to the selected subset of devices.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing namespaces in a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) controller environment. A non-volatile memory (NVM) is arranged to store map units (MUs) as addressable data blocks in one or more namespaces. A forward map has a sequence of map unit address (MUA) entries that correlate each of the MUs with the physical locations in the NVM. The MUA entries are grouped into immediately adjacent, contiguous ranges for each of the namespaces. A base MUA array identifies the address, within the forward map, of the beginning MUA entry for each namespace. A new namespace may be added by appending a new range of the MUA entries to the forward map immediate following the last MUA entry, and by adding a new entry to the base MUA array to identify the address, within the forward map, of the beginning MUA entry for the new namespace.

Abstract: A data storage device can have at least a buffer memory, a selection module, and a non-volatile memory. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may consist of different types of memory while the non-volatile memory has one or more rewritable in-place memory cells. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may each store data associated with a pending data request as directed by the selection module until a settle time of the rewritable in-place memory cell has expired.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory, such as a flash memory. A memory module has a non-volatile memory (NVM) and a memory module electronics (MME) circuit configured to program data to and read data from solid-state non-volatile memory cells of the NVM. A map structure associates logical addresses of user data blocks with physical addresses in the NVM at which the user data blocks are stored. A controller circuit arranges the user data blocks into map units (MUs), and directs the MME circuit to write the MUs to a selected page of the NVM. The controller circuit updates the map structure to list only a single occurrence of a physical address for all of the MUs written to the selected page. The map structure is further updated to list an MU offset and an MU length for each of the MUs written to the selected page.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing data in a hybrid data storage device. The device has a first non-volatile memory (NVM) of solid state memory cells arranged into a first set of garbage collection units (GCUs), and a second NVM as a rotatable data recording medium arranged into a second set of GCUs each comprising a plurality of shingled magnetic recording tracks. A control circuit combines a first group of logical block units (LBUs) stored in the first set of GCUs with a second group of LBUs stored in the second set of GCUs to form a combined group of LBUs arranged in sequential order by logical address. The control circuit streams the combined group of LBUs to a zone of shingled magnetic recording tracks in a selected one of the second set of GCUs. A combined media translation map identifies physical addresses in both the first and second NVMs.

Abstract: In response to a cacheable write request from a host, physical cache locations are allocated from a free list, and the data blocks are written to those cache locations without regard to whether any read requests to the corresponding logical addresses are pending. After the data has been written, and again without regard to whether any read requests are pending against the corresponding logical addresses, metadata is updated to associate the cache locations with the logical addresses. A count of data access requests pending against each cache location having valid data is maintained, and a cache location is only returned to the free list when the count indicates no data access requests are pending against the cache location.

Abstract: A data storage device may consist of a non-volatile memory connected to a selection module. The non-volatile memory can have a rewritable in-place memory cell that has a read-write asymmetry. The selection module can dedicate a portion of the non-volatile memory to a data map that can be self-contained along with reactively and proactively altered by the selection module.

Abstract: A hybrid storage device with three-level memory mapping is provided. An illustrative device comprises a primary storage device comprising a plurality of primary sub-blocks; a cache memory device comprising a plurality of cache sub-blocks implemented as a cache for the primary storage device; and a controller configured to map at least one portion of one or more primary sub-blocks of the primary storage device stored in the cache to a physical location in the cache memory device using at least one table identifying portions of the primary storage device that are cached in one or more of the cache sub-blocks of the cache memory device, wherein a size of the at least one table is independent of a capacity of the primary storage device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing namespaces in a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) controller environment. A non-volatile memory (NVM) is arranged to store map units (MUs) as addressable data blocks in one or more namespaces. A forward map has a sequence of map unit address (MUA) entries that correlate each of the MUs with the physical locations in the NVM. The MUA entries are grouped into immediately adjacent, contiguous ranges for each of the namespaces. A base MUA array identifies the address, within the forward map, of the beginning MUA entry for each namespace. A new namespace may be added by appending a new range of the MUA entries to the forward map immediate following the last MUA entry, and by adding a new entry to the base MUA array to identify the address, within the forward map, of the beginning MUA entry for the new namespace.

Abstract: A data storage device may consist of a non-volatile memory having rewritable in-place memory cells each with a read-write asymmetry. The non-volatile memory can store boot data that is subsequently loaded by a selection module of the data storage device. The selection module may bypass a memory buffer of the data storage device to load the boot data.