Persistent Memory Buffering for Barrier-Safe Data Flush

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data structures in volatile memory are prone to overwriting and loss due to their non-persistent nature, leading to data integrity issues and difficulty in maintaining operation order during power failures or restarts, with backups being resource-intensive and disruptive during high-use times.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a hardware controller for volatile memory that determines completion of barrier operations and preserves snapshot copies, along with a secondary power supply to ensure data is flushed to non-volatile storage during power disruptions, and using auto-commit memory to guarantee data persistence through memory semantic operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If data structures are stored in volatile memory for fast access, then speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to data loss during power failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access speedVSAvoiddata persistence

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The memory system is segmented into volatile memory regions for fast access and non-volatile memory regions for persistent storage. Data structures are partitioned such that frequently accessed portions reside in volatile memory while critical persistent data is stored in non-volatile memory, resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining snapshots and backup copies of data structures in non-volatile memory before power failures can occur. This preliminary preparation ensures that data can be recovered without loss, maintaining reliability while allowing volatile memory to be used for fast access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If backups are created to prevent data loss, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to resource consumption and access disruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidsystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates simplified copies of data structures in non-volatile memory rather than full backups. These copies contain only the essential persistent data needed for recovery, reducing the resource overhead and access disruption while maintaining adequate protection against data loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs disposable snapshot copies that can be quickly created and discarded. These temporary backup structures provide necessary protection but are designed to be lightweight and short-lived, minimizing their impact on system productivity while still ensuring data reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS20260105042A1Apparatus for Persistent Memory Management

Publication Date: 2026.04.16 SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for persistent memory management. Persistent memory management may include replicating a persistent data structure in volatile memory buffers of at least two non-volatile storage devices. Persistent memory management may include preserving a snapshot copy of data in association with completion of a barrier operation for the data. Persistent memory management may include determining which interface of a plurality of supported interfaces is to be used to flush data from a processor complex.