NVM Storage Device With Multiple Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enterprise storage systems face challenges with massive storage capacity, low latency, high bandwidth, low power consumption, and reliability, particularly due to the limitations of traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) with moving parts that lead to errors and failures, and the need for improved access times and fault tolerance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a storage device using non-volatile memory (NVM) storage medium with an active/active or active/standby fault-tolerant configuration, featuring multiple controllers and NVM blades, optimized for heat dissipation, power management, and load balancing, and utilizing PCIe protocol for communication, to enhance performance and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hard disk drives are used for storage, then massive storage capacity can be achieved, but access time and reliability deteriorate due to moving parts and mechanical limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical hard disk drive system with a non-volatile memory (NVM) based storage device. The NVM storage medium eliminates mechanical moving parts (spinning disks, magnetic heads, actuator arms) and uses electronic memory cells instead, thereby eliminating mechanical seek times and improving both reliability and access speed simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental storage parameter from magnetic disk rotation to electronic memory access. By transitioning from mechanical rotation-based storage to electronic NVM cell access, the system achieves orders of magnitude improvement in access time while maintaining or enhancing storage capacity and reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple controllers are implemented for fault tolerance, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the storage device into multiple independent controller units, each capable of operating autonomously. This segmentation allows fault tolerance through redundancy while maintaining manageable complexity by making each controller a self-contained module with standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal controller modules that can function in multiple roles (active, standby, or failover) depending on system configuration. Each controller is designed with multi-functionality to handle various operational states, simplifying the overall system architecture despite having multiple controllers.
3Loss of time
If NVM storage medium is used, then access time and latency are reduced, but heat dissipation challenges increase due to high-density memory cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the NVM storage medium into multiple separate memory blades, each handled by dedicated controllers. This segmentation distributes the heat generation across multiple smaller units with independent thermal management, preventing heat concentration in a single high-density memory array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-plane memory architecture to a three-dimensional stacked memory configuration. By stacking multiple memory blades vertically and accessing them through multiple controllers, the system distributes thermal load across multiple spatial dimensions, improving heat dissipation while maintaining high density.
Data Source
AI summary
Various systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for accessing a storage device are described. In certain example embodiments, an active/active fault tolerant storage device comprising two or more controllers may be implemented. In one embodiment, each controller may be coupled to the non-volatile memory (NVM) blades comprising the non-volatile memory (NVM) storage medium. In one example implementation, a standardized protocol, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express protocol may be used for communicating amongst the various components of the controller and also the NVM storage medium.