CXL Memory Services for Reliable Storage Access Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid-state drives (SSDs) are limited in their ability to provide both memory and storage services due to the constraints imposed by backup power sources, which restrict the amount of volatile memory that can be used, leading to inefficiencies in data preservation during power failures.
Innovation Solution
SSDs are configured with a portion of fast volatile memory to provide cache-coherent memory services and storage access queues, allowing them to function as both memory and storage devices, with the option of using non-volatile memory or volatile memory backed by a backup power source to ensure data preservation during power disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If backup power sources are used to preserve data during power failures, then data reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the backup power source from the system by using non-volatile memory to store data permanently without requiring external power for data preservation. This eliminates the capacitor or battery components while maintaining data reliability during power failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the memory type parameter from volatile to non-volatile, fundamentally altering the power dependency characteristic. Non-volatile memory inherently preserves data without power, eliminating the need for backup power sources while maintaining data integrity.
2Speed
If volatile memory is used for storage access queues, then access speed is improved, but data preservation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the memory parameter from volatile to non-volatile for the storage access queues. This allows the queues to maintain high access speeds while inherently preserving data during power failures, as non-volatile memory retains data without power.
3Reliability
If external backup power sources are required, then data integrity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external backup power source requirement by using non-volatile memory's inherent data preservation capability. The SSD operates independently without external power connections for data integrity, simplifying the system architecture and ease of operation.
4Reliability
If non-volatile memory is used for storage access queues, then data preservation is improved, but access speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory system into non-volatile memory for permanent storage and uses the non-volatile memory's addressable space to create storage access queues. This segmentation allows data to be preserved in non-volatile memory while enabling queue-based access patterns that maintain operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device having a compute express link (CXL) connection between a memory sub-system and a host system and having storage access queues configured at least in part in the memory sub-system. The memory sub-system can attach, as a memory device, a portion of its fast random access memory over the connection to the host system. One or more storage access queues can be configured in the memory device. The host system can use a cache-coherent memory access protocol to communicate storage access messages over the connection to the random access memory of the memory sub-system. Optionally, the host system can have a memory with second storage access queues usable to access the storage services of the memory sub-system over the connection using a storage access protocol.