IP Library Granted Patent US 9,996,291
Granted Patent B1
US 9,996,291 · App. 15/223,479 · Granted Jun 12, 2018

Storage system with solid-state storage device having enhanced write bandwidth operating mode

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,996,291
App. No.
15/223,479
Granted
Jun 12, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

A storage system in one embodiment comprises a host processor, a volatile memory associated with the host processor, and a solid-state storage device comprising a non-volatile memory. The host processor is configured to detect a particular power condition, such as a power failure condition, and responsive to the detected power condition to direct the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device. In conjunction with directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device, the host processor further directs the solid-state storage device to enter an enhanced write bandwidth operating mode in which the solid-state storage device temporarily at least partially suspends at least one specified background process that would otherwise tend to restrict an achievable write bandwidth of the solid-state storage device.

Claims (34)

1. A storage system comprising:

a host processor;

a volatile memory associated with the host processor;

a solid-state storage device coupled to the host processor and comprising a non-volatile memory;

wherein the host processor is configured to detect a particular power condition and responsive to the detected power condition to direct the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device;

wherein in conjunction with directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device, the host processor further directs the solid-state storage device to enter an enhanced write bandwidth operating mode in which the solid-state storage device temporarily at least partially suspends at least one specified background process that would otherwise tend to restrict an achievable write bandwidth of the solid-state storage device; and

wherein the host processor in directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device directs that such copying occur utilizing a particular input-output block size selected to increase data transfer efficiency by reducing processing overhead.

2. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the power condition comprises one of a power failure condition and a power off condition.

3. The storage system of claim 1 further comprising a PCIe switch having an upstream port coupled to a given one of a plurality of root ports of a PCIe root complex of the host processor and a downstream port coupled to the solid-state storage device.

4. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the host processor in directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device generates one or more commands.

5. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process is temporarily at least partially suspended for a period of time that is greater than or equal to an amount of time required to complete the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device.

6. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a thermal throttling process in which the solid-state storage device reduces the achievable write bandwidth if a monitored temperature of the solid-state storage device is above a designated threshold.

7. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a wear leveling process in which data writes are distributed in an even pattern over portions of the non-volatile memory in order to prevent uneven utilization of those portions of the non-volatile memory.

8. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a garbage collection process in which portions of the non-volatile memory previously used for writing of data are identified as available memory space for writing of new data.

9. The storage system of claim 8 wherein the garbage collection process is partially suspended subject to a requirement that a minimum amount of available memory space be maintained within the solid-state storage device.

10. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a process of scanning for error correction code errors in at least a portion of the non-volatile memory.

11. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a process of enforcing read or write disturb data retention policies in at least a portion of the non-volatile memory.

12. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode temporarily completely suspends multiple specified background processes that would otherwise tend to restrict an achievable write bandwidth of the solid-state storage device.

13. The storage system of claim 1 wherein the solid-state storage device provides an acknowledgment to the host processor indicating that it has completed the copying of the data into the non-volatile memory.

14. A method comprising:

detecting a particular power condition in a host processor of a storage system;

responsive to the detected power condition, directing the copying of data from a volatile memory associated with the host processor to a non-volatile memory of a solid-state storage device of the storage system; and

in conjunction with directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device, directing the solid-state storage device to enter an enhanced write bandwidth operating mode in which the solid-state storage device temporarily at least partially suspends at least one specified background process that would otherwise tend to restrict an achievable write bandwidth of the solid-state storage device;

wherein directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device comprises directing that such copying occur utilizing a particular input-output block size selected to increase data transfer efficiency by reducing processing overhead.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the specified background process is temporarily at least partially suspended for a period of time that is greater than or equal to an amount of time required to complete the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a thermal throttling process in which the solid-state storage device reduces the achievable write bandwidth if a monitored temperature of the solid-state storage device is above a designated threshold.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code, when executed by a storage system comprising a host processor, a volatile memory associated with the host processor, and a solid-state storage device comprising a non-volatile memory, causes the storage system:

to detect a particular power condition in the host processor;

responsive to the detected power condition, to direct the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device; and

in conjunction with directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device, to direct the solid-state storage device to enter an enhanced write bandwidth operating mode in which the solid-state storage device temporarily at least partially suspends at least one specified background process that would otherwise tend to restrict an achievable write bandwidth of the solid-state storage device;

wherein directing the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device comprises directing that such copying occur utilizing a particular input-output block size selected to increase data transfer efficiency by reducing processing overhead.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the specified background process is temporarily at least partially suspended for a period of time that is greater than or equal to an amount of time required to complete the copying of data from the volatile memory associated with the host processor to the non-volatile memory of the solid-state storage device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the specified background process that is temporarily at least partially suspended by the solid-state storage device in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode comprises a thermal throttling process in which the solid-state storage device reduces the achievable write bandwidth if a monitored temperature of the solid-state storage device is above a designated threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the particular input-output block size is selected to increase data transfer efficiency in the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode and comprises an integer multiple of a smaller input-output block size normally utilized outside of the enhanced write bandwidth operating mode.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (047648/0422) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060160/0862 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 047648 FRAME 0346 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058298/0510 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047648/0422 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047648/0346 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2017
From: EMC CORPORATION
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 041872/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2016
From: IZHAR, AMNON; WEILER, PATRICK
To: EMC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039371/0954 →