Flash Storage Management Information Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In large-capacity flash memory systems, saving management information to the storage medium takes time, and the capacity of the secondary power source must be increased to accommodate growing data sizes, leading to inefficiencies and potential power shutdown issues during unexpected power outages.
Innovation Solution
A storage system that stores management information as a base image and creates a journal of updates, allowing for efficient storage and restoration of the management information using a secondary power source during power outages, thereby reducing the time required for data saving and minimizing the need for increased secondary power capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the management information is stored entirely in the flash memory, then the data is preserved during power outages, but the rewrite life of the flash memory is reduced due to frequent updates
Solution Approach 1:
The management information is segmented into two parts: base information (stored in main memory) and journal information (stored in flash memory). This segmentation allows the system to preserve critical data in the volatile memory while maintaining a durable copy in non-volatile memory, resolving the contradiction between reliability and rewrite life.
2Reliability
If the entire management information is saved to the flash memory during power outage, then data integrity is maintained, but the time required for saving increases
Solution Approach 1:
The journal information, which contains only the updated portions of management information, is extracted and saved to the flash memory instead of saving the entire management information. This extraction approach maintains data integrity while significantly reducing the saving time during power outages.
3Quantity of substance
If the management information size increases with flash memory capacity, then larger data can be managed, but the secondary power source capacity must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of saving the entire management information (excessive action), the system saves only the journal information containing the updated portions (partial action). This partial saving approach allows the system to handle larger management information sizes without proportionally increasing the secondary power source capacity requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system comprises a storage comprising a nonvolatile storage medium, and a storage control apparatus for inputting/outputting data to/from the storage. The storage control apparatus comprises a memory for storing management information, which is information used in inputting/outputting data to/from the storage, and a control part for controlling access to the storage. The control part stores the management information, which is stored in the memory, in the storage as a base image, and when the management information is updated subsequent to the base image being stored in the storage, creates a journal comprising information related to this update, and stores the journal in the storage as a journal group which is configured from multiple journals.