Outer Code Updates During Read-Modify-Write HDD Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
The effectiveness of outer codes in hard disk drives decreases over time, requiring frequent updates to maintain parity, which consumes resources and negatively affects performance by diverting resources from user data operations.
Innovation Solution
Updating outer codes in conjunction with user data operations, such as during read-modify-write operations, and formatting outer code sectors to match host RAID chunk sizes to facilitate efficient parity calculation and maintenance, allowing for simultaneous error correction and data handling without dedicated operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If outer codes are updated frequently to maintain parity, then error correction effectiveness is improved, but resource consumption increases and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines outer code update operations with user data read-modify-write operations. The outer code maintenance is merged into the existing data operation pipeline, so that when user data is being updated, the associated outer codes are simultaneously updated without requiring separate dedicated operations. This resolves the contradiction by achieving reliable error correction maintenance while avoiding additional performance penalties.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing read-modify-write data operations to serve dual purposes: updating user data and maintaining outer codes. The same operational infrastructure is used for both data management and error correction code maintenance, eliminating the need for separate resource allocation and improving overall system efficiency.
2Reliability
If dedicated operations are performed to maintain outer code parity, then error correction reliability is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges outer code maintenance operations with user data operations into a unified process. When the system performs read-modify-write operations on user data, it simultaneously performs the necessary outer code updates in the same operational pass, eliminating the need for separate dedicated operations and reducing overall resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its existing data operation infrastructure to automatically maintain outer codes without requiring additional dedicated resources. The read-modify-write operations that are already necessary for data management inherently provide the opportunity to maintain outer codes, making the system self-sufficient for error correction maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving, by a data storage device, a read command. The method further includes reading a first set of outer code stored to a magnetic recording medium of the data storage device and storing the first set of outer code to memory. The method further includes receiving a write command to write data to the magnetic recording medium and writing a second set of outer code to the magnetic recording medium in connection with the write command.