Hard Disk Media Cache Bypass for Random Write Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in reducing power consumption and minimizing the risk of hard disk damage during background activities associated with random write modes, as they require increased background operations and consume significant power.
Innovation Solution
A storage system incorporating a random access memory, a hard disk with a media cache, and a non-volatile memory, where data is first stored in the non-volatile memory and then directly written to continuous sectors in the hard disk, eliminating the need for media cache assistance during random writes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If data are written in random write mode to cache first and then to corresponding sectors, then random write performance is improved, but power consumption increases and risk of hard disk damage increases due to background activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the media cache component from the data path for random writes. By removing the cache intermediary, data flows directly from the host interface to the hard disk platter, eliminating the background write-back operations that consume power and increase damage risk while maintaining acceptable random write performance through direct-to-disk writing
2Speed
If data are written in random write mode to cache first and then to corresponding sectors, then random write performance is improved, but the quantity of background activities increases and risk of hard disk damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the media cache from the random write data path, eliminating the deferred write-back mechanism. This extraction stops background activities that cause vibration and collision during idle periods, thereby reducing the risk of hard disk damage while still achieving random write performance through direct writing
3Use of energy by stationary object
If data are written directly to continuous sectors in hard disk from non-volatile memory, then power consumption is reduced and background activities are eliminated, but access performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses non-volatile memory as a preliminary storage buffer before data reaches the hard disk. Data is first written to the non-volatile memory (which has comparable write speeds to the hard disk), then directly to continuous sectors on the hard disk platter. This preliminary action in non-volatile memory allows the system to achieve low power consumption and eliminate background activities while maintaining acceptable access performance
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A storage system including a random access memory, a hard disk, a non-volatile memory and a processing circuit is provided. The hard disk includes a media cache. When the processing circuit is to store data in the random access memory to the hard disk, the data in the random access memory are firstly stored to the non-volatile memory. Afterwards, the data in the non-volatile memory are directly written to a number of continuous sectors in the hard disk without being stored in the media cache of the hard disk.