Memory Controller Checkpointing for Boot Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems face challenges in efficiently managing and recovering boot data during sudden power-offs, particularly in ensuring the reliability and speed of data recovery while minimizing the complexity of separate storage areas.
Innovation Solution
A memory system with a nonvolatile memory device divided into a system area and a normal area, where boot data and normal data are stored and managed together in the normal area, with a controller performing checkpoint operations and recovery operations based on metadata management and predetermined search counts to optimize data recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If boot data is stored separately from normal data, then data recovery reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges boot data and normal data into a single storage area, eliminating the need for separate storage regions. The controller manages both types of data within the same address space, using logical separation rather than physical separation. This reduces storage area complexity while maintaining recovery reliability through software-based data type identification and selective recovery operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces metadata as an intermediary structure that tracks the location and type of data (boot data vs. normal data) within the unified storage area. The metadata enables the controller to identify and selectively recover boot data without requiring separate physical storage regions, thus maintaining reliability while reducing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If checkpoint operations are performed frequently for boot data, then data recovery reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic checkpoint operation strategies where the frequency and timing of checkpoint operations are adjusted based on system state, data importance, and operational context. Boot data receives prioritized checkpoint operations when critical changes occur, while normal data follows a less frequent schedule, optimizing the balance between recovery reliability and storage efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial checkpoint operations selectively to only the portions of data that have changed since the last checkpoint, rather than checking entire data sets. For boot data, the system performs targeted checkpoints on specific data segments that require high reliability, reducing the overall overhead while maintaining recovery capability for critical information.
3Reliability
If recovery operations are performed on all searched data, then data recovery completeness is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective recovery operations that target only the necessary portions of data based on system state and failure context. The controller identifies which data segments require recovery through metadata analysis and performs recovery operations only on those specific segments, rather than recovering all searched data. This reduces booting time while maintaining recovery completeness for critical boot data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary assessment of data integrity and recovery needs before executing full recovery operations. The controller checks metadata and data status indicators to determine which data segments actually require recovery, performing minimal necessary recovery actions rather than comprehensive recovery on all searched data, thus reducing booting time while ensuring critical data is recovered.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system may include: a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory blocks, each of which includes a plurality of pages, and among which a subset of memory blocks are managed as a system area and remaining memory blocks are managed as a normal area; and a controller may store system data, used to control the nonvolatile memory device, in the system area, and storing boot data, used in a host and normal data updated in a control operation for the nonvolatile memory device, in the normal area, the controller may perform a checkpoint operation each time storage of N number of boot data among the boot data is completed, and may perform the checkpoint operation each time the control operation for the nonvolatile memory device is completed, ‘N’ being a natural number.