Method of configuring non-volatile memory for a hybrid disk drive
View Patent ↗A system, method and machine-readable medium are provided to configure a non-volatile memory (NVM) including a plurality of NVM modules, in a system having a hard disk drive (HDD) and an operating system (O/S). In response to a user selection of a hybrid drive mode for the NVM, the plurality of NVM modules are ranked according to speed performance. Boot portions of the O/S are copied to a highly ranked NVM module, or a plurality of highly ranked NVM modules, and the HDD and the highly ranked NVM modules are assigned as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system. Ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules can include carrying out a speed performance test. This approach can provide hybrid disk performance using conventional hardware, or enhance performance of an existing hybrid drive, while taking into account relative performance of available NVM modules.
1. A method of configuring a non-volatile memory (NVM) including a plurality of NVM modules, in a system having a hard disk drive (HDD) and an operating system (O/S), the method comprising:
ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules according to speed performance;
in response to the user selection, copying boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module; and
assigning the HDD and the highest ranked NVM module as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
copying boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module comprises:
copying a first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module, and
the method further comprising:
copying a second portion of boot portions of the O/S to the second highest ranked NVM module; and
assigning the second highest ranked NVM module to the logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules comprises carrying out a speed performance test, wherein the plurality of NVM modules are ranked based on results of the speed performance test.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein carrying out the speed performance test comprises:
sending a performance checking pattern to the plurality of NVM modules; and receiving a speed performance test result for each of the plurality of NVM modules.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules comprises detecting stored speed performance information, and wherein the plurality of NVM modules are ranked based on the stored performance information.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules further comprises carrying out a speed performance test, wherein the plurality of NVM modules are re-ranked based on results of the speed performance test.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein carrying out the speed performance test comprises:
sending a performance checking pattern to the plurality of NVM modules; and receiving a speed performance test result for each of the plurality of NVM modules.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules comprises generating a performance table for the plurality of NVM modules.
9. The method of claim 2 wherein ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules comprises ranking the first NVM module higher than the second NVM module when the first and second NVM modules have substantially the same speed performance and the first NVM module has a higher capacity than the second NVM module.
10. The method of claim 2 wherein copying the first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module comprises:
determining that the highest ranked NVM module has sufficient capacity to store an indivisible boot portion within the first portion.
11. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second portions of boot portions of the O/S have first and second sizes, respectively, and further comprising, before copying the first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module:
defining the first and second sizes based on defined indivisible boot portions within the boot portions of the O/S.
12. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
detecting an NVM connection modification; and
altering a logical hybrid drive definition based on the detected NVM connection modification.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein detecting the NVM connection modification comprises detecting removal of the first NVM module or the second NVM module, the first and second NVM modules having boot portions of the O/S copied thereon, and
wherein altering the logical hybrid drive definition comprises, in relation to NVM modules remaining after the removal,
copying the first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked remaining NVM module;
copying the second portion of boot portions of the O/S to the second highest ranked remaining NVM module; and
assigning the HDD and the highest and second highest ranked remaining NVM modules as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein detecting the NVM connection modification comprises detecting addition of an additional NVM module to create a new plurality of NVM modules, and
wherein altering the logical hybrid drive definition comprises, re-ranking each of the new plurality of NVM modules according to speed performance;
copying the first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest re-ranked NVM module in the new plurality of NVM modules;
copying the second portion of boot portions of the O/S to the second highest re-ranked NVM module in the new plurality of NVM modules; and
assigning the HDD and the highest re-ranked NVM module and the second highest re-ranked NVM module in the new plurality of NVM modules as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
15. A computer system including a hard disk drive (HDD), a non-volatile memory (NVM) including first and second NVM modules and an operating system (O/S), comprising:
a machine-readable medium storing commands and instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of configuring a non-volatile memory, the method including:
ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules according to speed performance;
in response to the user selection:
copying boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module;
assigning the HDD and the highest ranked NVM module as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein, in the method:
copying boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module comprises:
copying a first portion of boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module, and
the method further comprising:
copying a second portion of boot portions of the O/S to the second highest ranked NVM module; and
assigning the second highest ranked NVM module to the logical hybrid drive of the computer system.
17. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the NVM is removable and replaceable without performing an internal computer system hardware upgrade.
18. The computer system of claim 15 wherein the NVM comprises a flash memory card.
19. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising a receiver for receiving the NVM, the receiver being in electrical communication with the processor.
20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the receiver comprises a slot for receiving the NVM, the slot being accessible by a user without opening an outer casing of the computer system, the slot including a securing means to prevent disconnection of the NVM when the NVM is being used in hybrid drive mode.
21. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing commands and instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of configuring a non-volatile memory (NVM) including first and second NVM modules in a computer system having a hard disk drive (HDD), and an operating system (O/S), the method comprising:
ranking each of the plurality of NVM modules according to speed performance;
in response to the user selection, copying boot portions of the O/S to the highest ranked NVM module; and
assigning the HDD and the highest ranked NVM module as a logical hybrid drive of the computer system.