Meta-FTL Instantiating Heterogeneous Flash Characteristics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Solid-State Disks (SSDs) lack flexibility to dynamically instantiate multiple types of flash characteristics and translation tables, limiting their use in heterogeneous environments and next-generation data centers where dynamic storage orchestration is required.
Innovation Solution
A meta-flash translation layer (meta-FTL) is used to send requests for specific features and flash characteristics, check for available free blocks in NAND chips, and instantiate compatible blocks to support multiple features and translation tables on a single SSD, allowing for dynamic orchestration of storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single FTL manages all NAND blocks in a conventional SSD, then the system structure is simple and easy to manage, but the system lacks flexibility and cannot support multiple heterogeneous features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single FTL into multiple independent FTL instances (FTL1, FTL2, etc.), each managing specific NAND blocks with particular features. This segmentation allows each FTL to be optimized for specific functions while maintaining overall system manageability through the meta-FTL coordinator.
Solution Approach 2:
The meta-FTL acts as a universal coordinator that manages multiple heterogeneous FTL instances with different features. It provides a unified interface for block allocation across diverse FTL types, enabling the system to support encryption, compression, and other features through a single management layer.
2Productivity
If conventional SSDs use a single translation table format, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot dynamically orchestrate storage for different requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically creates and manages multiple translation table formats corresponding to different FTL instances. The meta-FTL can allocate blocks to different FTL types based on real-time requirements, enabling dynamic storage orchestration rather than static single-format translation.
Solution Approach 2:
The meta-FTL serves as an intermediary between the host system and multiple FTL instances with different translation tables. It receives allocation requests, determines appropriate FTL types, and manages the diverse translation table formats, shielding upper layers from complexity while enabling productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all NAND blocks are managed uniformly, then the manufacturing and operation are simple, but the system cannot instantiate different flash characteristics for specific features
Solution Approach 1:
Different NAND blocks are assigned different qualities and characteristics based on their intended use. Encryption blocks, compression blocks, and standard blocks each have optimized properties for their specific functions, allowing local quality customization while maintaining overall system operability through meta-FTL coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
A flash translation layer method, system, and computer program product, include performing a virtualization of a meta-flash translation layer by: instantiating a range in a NAND chip comprising the number of free blocks using a meta-FTL to create a compatible range of blocks for a type of a feature and a flash characteristic of a translation table if a number of free blocks are available in the NAND chip and instantiating a second range in the NAND chip comprising a second number of free blocks using the meta-FTL to create a second compatible range of blocks for a second type of feature and a second flash characteristic of the translation table, and dynamically programming data on the fly based on an input requirement of a request into the range and the second range.