Granted Patent B1

US 8,140,804 · App. 12/337,132 · Granted Mar 20, 2012

Abstract

Claims (58)

1. A computer-implemented method for determining whether to perform a computing operation that is optimized for a specific storage-device-technology type, the method comprising:

performing at least one proximate read operation, the proximate read operation comprising:

accessing a control location on a storage device;

accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically proximate to the control location;

performing at least one remote read operation, the remote read operation comprising accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically remote from the control location;

determining, by comparing a length of time to access the proximate test location with a length of time to access the remote test location, a technology type of the storage device;

determining, based on the technology type of the storage device, whether to perform the computing operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote read operation further comprises accessing the control location prior to accessing the remote test location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proximate test location is identical to the control location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proximate test location is distinct from both the control location and the remote test location.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling access-optimization functionality on the storage device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the disabling access-optimization functionality comprises disabling caching.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control location comprises:

a lowest logical location on the storage device;

a random location on the storage device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

accessing the control location comprises reading data from the control location;

accessing the proximate test location comprises reading data from the proximate test location;

accessing the remote test location comprises reading data from the remote test location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

performing the proximate read operation comprises performing a plurality of proximate read operations;

performing the remote read operation comprises performing a plurality of remote read operations.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the technology type of the storage device comprises:

calculating an average length of time to access the proximate test locations;

calculating an average length of time to access the remote test locations;

comparing the average length of time to access the proximate test locations with the average length of time to access the remote test locations.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the technology type of the storage device comprises:

determining that the length of time to access the proximate test location is not identical to the length of time to access the remote test location;

determining that the storage device is a mechanical hard drive.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the technology type of the storage device comprises:

determining that the length of time to access the proximate test location is identical to the length of time to access the remote test location;

determining that the storage device is a solid state drive.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing operation comprises at least one of:

a defragment operation;

a system-startup-time enhancer;

a secure-deletion utility.

14. A system for determining whether to perform a computing operation that is optimized for a specific storage-device-technology type, the system comprising:

a data-access module programmed to:

perform at least one proximate read operation, the proximate read operation comprising:

accessing a control location on a storage device;

accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically proximate to the control location;

perform at least one remote read operation, the remote read operation comprising accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically remote from the control location;

a technology-type-identification module programmed to determine, by comparing a length of time to access the proximate test location with a length of time to access the remote test location, a technology type of the storage device;

an operation module programmed to determine, based on the technology type of the storage device, whether to perform the computing operation.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the remote read operation further comprises accessing the control location prior to accessing the remote test location.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the data-access module is further programmed to disable access-optimization functionality on the storage device.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the proximate test location is identical to the control location.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the proximate test location is distinct from both the control location and the remote test location.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the control location comprises:

a lowest logical location on the storage device;

a random location on the storage device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for determining whether to perform a computing operation that is optimized for a specific storage-device-technology type, the method comprising:

performing at least one proximate read operation, the proximate read operation comprising:

accessing a control location on a storage device;

accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically proximate to the control location;

performing at least one remote read operation, the remote read operation comprising accessing a test location on the storage device that is logically remote from the control location;

determining, by comparing a length of time to access the proximate test location with a length of time to access the remote test location, a technology type of the storage device;

determining, based on the technology type of the storage device, whether to perform the computing operation.

Assignments (14)