Host Memory Buffer Management in Data Storage Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
In data storage devices, the host currently allocates and manages volatile memory buffers and pointer lists for read operations, leading to inefficiencies such as ahead-of-time resource allocation, increased latency, and complexity in buffer management, especially in out-of-order data transfer modes.
Innovation Solution
A data storage device with a controller that manages host memory buffer allocation, using a resource server to identify available memory locations and a direct memory access module to write data directly to the host memory, thereby offloading buffer management from the host and implementing just-in-time memory allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the host allocates volatile memory buffers and pointer lists ahead of time for read operations, then the host can manage data transfer, but the resource allocation overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts buffer management functionality from the host system and relocates it to the storage device controller. The controller now independently manages host memory buffer allocation, identifying available buffers and writing data directly to them without requiring the host to pre-allocate and track buffer locations. This extraction eliminates the host's resource allocation overhead and reduces latency in read operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage device controller performs self-service by autonomously managing its own data transfer to host memory. It independently identifies available buffers in host memory, writes data directly to those buffers, and notifies the host when transfers complete. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the host to actively manage buffer allocation and tracking, reducing overhead and improving efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If the host manages buffer allocation and pointer lists, then data can be transferred to host memory, but the complexity of buffer management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex buffer management functionality from the host system and relocates it to the storage device controller. The controller now handles buffer identification, allocation tracking, and data writing independently, eliminating the need for the host to maintain pointer lists and manage buffer lifecycles. This extraction significantly simplifies host operation while the controller's internal complexity is hidden from the host.
3Productivity
If the host allocates memory buffers ahead of time, then data transfer can proceed, but resource allocation overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device controller performs self-service by autonomously managing data transfer to host memory. It independently identifies available buffers, writes data directly to them using DMA, and notifies the host of completion. This eliminates the host's active participation in buffer management, reducing the host's computational overhead and energy consumption while maintaining efficient data transfer.
4Ease of operation
If the host reads pointer lists to determine data location, then data can be accessed, but additional PCIe transactions are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pointer list management functionality from the host and relocates it to the storage device controller. The controller maintains its own buffer location tracking and can provide data location information directly to the host without requiring the host to read and parse pointer lists. This eliminates additional PCIe transactions and reduces data access latency.
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage device and method for host buffer management are provided. In one embodiment, a data storage device is provided comprising a non-volatile memory and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a read command from a host; read data from the non-volatile memory; identify a location in a host memory buffer (HMB) in the host that is available to store the data; write the data to the location in the HMB; and inform the host of the location in the HMB that stores the data. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.