Memory Module Data Restore via Host Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing memory modules face conflicts between memory settings suitable for the host system and the internal controller when restoring data from nonvolatile to volatile memory, leading to potential data loss and security risks due to decryption processes.
Innovation Solution
A memory module that interfaces as a Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) with both volatile and nonvolatile memory, using a peripheral I/O bus interface to initiate data backup and restore operations, encrypting data during backup, and decrypting it upon restoration via the host system's decryption logic, thus maintaining data security and compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is restored by commanding the memory controller to copy data from nonvolatile memory back to volatile memory, then data restoration is achieved, but conflicts arise between memory settings suitable for the host system and settings required by the memory module's internal controller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a host processor as an intermediary that mediates the data restoration process. Instead of the memory controller directly copying data from nonvolatile to volatile memory (which causes settings conflicts), the host processor acts as an intermediary: it reads data from nonvolatile memory through the I/O bus, decrypts it, and then writes it to volatile memory. This eliminates the settings conflict while maintaining data restoration capability.
2Reliability
If the memory module interfaces as a DIMM with both volatile and nonvolatile memory, then data security through encryption is achieved, but decryption processes create potential data loss and security risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the decryption function from the memory module's internal controller and relocates it to the host processor. By taking out the decryption operation from the potentially vulnerable internal controller environment and performing it in the secure host environment, the patent reduces security risks and potential data loss during decryption while maintaining encryption-based data security.
3Speed
If internal controller copies data directly from nonvolatile to volatile memory, then restoration speed is improved, but conflicts between host system settings and controller settings occur
Solution Approach 1:
The host processor serves as an intermediary that enables settings compatibility while maintaining acceptable restoration speed. The process involves: (1) host processor reading data from nonvolatile memory via I/O bus, (2) host processor decrypting data, (3) host processor writing data to volatile memory. This intermediary approach resolves settings conflicts while achieving data restoration, with speed optimized through direct memory access pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
A process of interacting with a memory module to restore data backed up from volatile memory to nonvolatile memory of the memory module involves a host system configuring the volatile memory of the module to interoperate with a host memory controller via a DIMM memory interface to the module; the host configuring a controller of the module to copy data from the nonvolatile memory to a peripheral I/O bus, the configuration of the controller of the module carried out via the peripheral I/O bus; a host I/O controller receiving the data copied to the peripheral I/O bus and communicating the received data to a host memory controller; and the host memory controller copying the received data to the volatile memory via the DIMM memory interface, thus completing a restore of the data from nonvolatile memory to the volatile memory.