Write reordering in a hybrid disk drive

Abstract

A hybrid drive and associated methods increase the rate at which data are transferred to a nonvolatile storage medium in the hybrid drive. By using a large nonvolatile solid state memory device as cache memory for a magnetic disk drive, a very large number of write commands can be cached and subsequently reordered and executed in an efficient manner. In addition, strategic selection and reordering of only a portion of the write commands stored in the nonvolatile solid state memory device increases efficiency of the reordering process.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to disk drives and, more particularly, to systems and methods of write reordering in a hybrid disk drive.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]A hard disk drive (HDD) is a commonly used data storage device for the computer and primarily stores digital data in concentric tracks on the surface of a data storage disk. The data storage disk is a rotatable hard disk with a layer of magnetic material thereon, and data are read from or written to a desired track on the data storage disk using a read / write head that is held proximate to the track while the disk spins about its center at a constant angular velocity. Data are written to the data storage disk in accordance with a write command transferred to the HDD from a host computer.[0005]Generally, write commands can be received by an HDD much more quickly than the data associated with each command can be written to the data storag...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention offers systems and techniques for speeding up the transfer of data from an HDD to a non-volatile medium.

Problems solved by technology

However, the time available for an HDD to select the next write command to be executed in the command queue is limited; during the time that the current write command is being executed, the queue of remaining commands must be reordered and the write command having the shortest access time determined.

Consequently, improvements in random write performance of HDDs are generally limited to incremental enhancements in the mechanical performance of HDD servo systems and storage disk rotation speed.

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