Multi-memory device system and method for managing a lifetime thereof

1. A method, comprising:

identifying at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of each of a plurality of memory device portions of at least one memory device;

determining by a controller coupled to a host processor and to the at least one memory device that the aspect associated with the lifetime of a first one of the memory device portions storing a first set of data exceeds that of the aspect associated with the lifetime of a second one of the memory device portions; and

in response to the determining, moving the first set of data from the first memory device portion to the second memory device portion;

wherein the first memory device portion and the second memory device portion are portions of a same one of the at least one memory device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime includes at least one of a desired lifetime, an actual lifetime, and an estimated lifetime.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aspect includes at least one of a period of time, a rate of the operations that reduce the lifetime of at least one of the plurality of memory device portions, a total permitted number of the operations that reduce the lifetime of at least one of the plurality of memory device portions, and a duration of the lifetime.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aspect indicates that the first set of data is more frequently overwritten with respect to a second set of data of the second memory device portion.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first set of data is moved from the first memory device portion to the second memory device portion, after a predetermined amount of time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory device includes a mechanical storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory devices includes a non-mechanical storage device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory device includes a volatile memory device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory device includes a nonvolatile memory device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nonvolatile memory device includes at least one of a single-bit per cell NOR flash memory, a multi-bit per cell NOR flash memory, a single-bit per cell NAND flash memory, a multi-bit per cell NAND flash memory, a multi-level-multi-bit per cell NAND flash, and a large block flash memory.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aspect comprises a frequency of writing.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving by the storage controller and from the host processor a command initiating an operation to be applied to the memory device portions;

determining by the storage controller if the operation is of a type that reduces the lifetime of the memory device portions; and

conditionally delaying at least a part of the operation based on the determining.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

computing an estimated lifetime of the memory device portions based on the operation; and

comparing the estimated lifetime with a required lifetime;

wherein the conditionally delaying is further based on the comparing.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the computing is based on an integral function including a rate of operations of the type that reduces the lifetime of the memory device portions.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the aspect associated with the lifetime comprises the rate of operations of the type that reduces the lifetime of the memory device portions.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

displaying, to a user of the memory device portions, the estimated lifetime.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the displaying includes a graphical user interface.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller enabled to identify at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of each of a plurality of memory device portions of at least one memory device, enabled to determine that the aspect associated with the lifetime of a first one of the memory device portions storing a first set of data exceeds that of the aspect associated with the lifetime of a second one of the memory device portions, and enabled to, in response to the determination whether the aspect associated with the lifetime of a first one of the memory device portions storing a first set of data exceeds that of the aspect associated with the lifetime of a second one of the memory device portions, move the first set of data from the first memory device portion to the second memory device portion;

wherein the first memory device portion and the second memory device portion are portions of a same one of the at least one memory device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the controller is coupled between a host processor and the at least one memory device.