Writing data to a thermally sensitive memory device

1. An apparatus for writing data to a thermally sensitive memory device, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

receiving a physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device; wherein the thermally sensitive memory device includes a plurality of memory modules;

receiving the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device;

selecting an address for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device and the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device including selecting from the plurality of memory modules of the thermally sensitive memory device, a particular memory module that is downwind of all of the other memory modules in the plurality of memory modules; and

writing data to the selected address of the thermally sensitive memory device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device identifies the location of flash memory modules on the thermally sensitive memory device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device identifies the location of a memory controller on the thermally sensitive memory device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of:

determining a write rate for the thermally sensitive memory device; and

wherein selecting an address for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device and the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device includes selecting one or more flash memory modules for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the write rate for the thermally sensitive memory device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermally sensitive memory device includes flash memory.

6. A computer program product for writing data to a thermally sensitive memory device, the computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

receiving a physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device; wherein the thermally sensitive memory device includes a plurality of memory modules;

receiving the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device;

selecting an address for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device and the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device including selecting from the plurality of memory modules of the thermally sensitive memory device, a particular memory module that is downwind of all of the other memory modules in the plurality of memory modules; and

writing data to the selected address of the thermally sensitive memory device.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device identifies the location of flash memory modules on the thermally sensitive memory device.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device identifies the location of a memory controller on the thermally sensitive memory device.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to carry out the step of:

determining a write rate for the thermally sensitive memory device; and

wherein selecting an address for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the physical layout of the thermally sensitive memory device and the direction of airflow across the thermally sensitive memory device includes selecting one or more flash memory modules for writing data to the thermally sensitive memory device in dependence upon the write rate for the thermally sensitive memory device.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the thermally sensitive memory device includes flash memory.

11. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the computer readable medium comprises a signal medium.

12. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the computer readable medium comprises a storage medium.