NVS Real and Alternate Segments for Data Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional Non-Volatile Storage (NVS) systems face challenges in efficiently managing write requests, particularly in maintaining a valid previous copy of data and handling errors during the writing process, as they require asynchronous operations and do not allow in-place updates, leading to limitations in data retention and error recovery.
Innovation Solution
The use of real segments and alternate segments in NVS, where data is alternately written to and merged from these segments, with indicators tracking storage locations, allows for efficient data management, error recovery, and asynchronous merging to maintain previous data copies, enabling efficient NVS operations without in-place updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional asynchronous write operations are used in NVS, then data can be written to cache and NVS separately, but it becomes difficult to maintain valid previous copies and handle errors during writing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the NVS write operation into two distinct segments: real segments for current data and alternate segments for previous copies. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both current and previous data versions simultaneously, enabling error recovery while managing write operations through a structured approach with clear separation of data states.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-allocating alternate segments before write operations occur. These alternate segments are prepared in advance to receive previous data copies, ensuring that when a write operation fails or needs to be rolled back, the previous valid copy is already preserved and accessible without requiring complex recovery procedures.
2Loss of information
If in-place updates are used to write data into NVS, then write operations become simpler, but previous copies of data are overwritten and cannot be retained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements copying by creating a duplicate copy of the previous data version and storing it in alternate segments before writing new data to real segments. This copying mechanism ensures that previous data copies are retained without requiring in-place updates, as the new data is written to a separate location while the old data remains intact in its original location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension storage approach (one location per data) to a two-dimension approach by introducing alternate segments as a separate dimension for storing previous copies. This dimensional change allows the system to maintain both current and previous data versions simultaneously without overwriting, resolving the conflict between data retention and write simplicity.
3Productivity
If the host is not allowed to re-write records until commit is complete, then data consistency is maintained, but write throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the NVS system to automatically manage data consistency through its internal real and alternate segment structure. The system autonomously tracks which segments contain valid data and which contain previous copies, allowing the host to initiate write operations without waiting for commit completion while the NVS system itself ensures consistency through its segmented architecture and indicator management.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are techniques for using real segments and alternate segments in Non-Volatile Storage (NVS). One or more write requests for a track are executed by alternating between storing data in one or more sectors of real segments and one or more sectors of alternate segments for each of the write requests, while setting indicators in a real sector structure and an alternate sector structure. In response to determining that the one or more write requests for the track have completed, the data stored in the one or more sectors of the real segments and in the one or more sectors of the alternate segments are merged to form newly written data. In response to determining that a hardened, previously written data of a track does exist in Non-Volatile Storage (NVS), the newly written data is merged with the hardened, previously written data in the NVS. The merged data is committed.