Redundant Hardware for Nonvolatile Memory Data Duplication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for using nonvolatile memories in computer systems require special hardware operations, leading to increased software processing and performance degradation, and lack methods for realizing nonvolatilization and redundancy similar to DRAMs.
Innovation Solution
A computer system with redundant hardware that writes data to both nonvolatile memories across multiple computers, using a software interface equivalent to DRAMs, ensuring data redundancy and nonvolatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nonvolatile memories are used instead of DRAMs with special hardware operations, then data nonvolatilization and reliability are improved, but software processing complexity and performance are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of DRAM functionality through a virtual memory layer that sits between the software interface and physical nonvolatile memory. This virtual memory copy presents a DRAM-like interface to software while the underlying physical storage uses nonvolatile memory, thus achieving data nonvolatilization without requiring software to perform special hardware operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual memory layer as an intermediary component between the software application and the physical nonvolatile memory. This mediator translates standard DRAM access operations into appropriate nonvolatile memory operations, eliminating the need for software to execute special hardware operations while maintaining data nonvolatilization through the underlying nonvolatile storage.
2Reliability
If nonvolatile memories are used with special hardware operations, then data redundancy is improved, but device complexity and software processing are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual memory layer provides universal access to nonvolatile memory through a standardized DRAM-like interface, making the system multi-functional. It can handle both standard memory access operations and nonvolatile storage operations through a single unified interface, reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for separate special hardware operation circuits while maintaining data redundancy capabilities.
3Reliability
If data is written to multiple nonvolatile memories for redundancy, then reliability is improved, but write speed and performance are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual memory layer performs preliminary actions by buffering and managing write operations before they reach the physical nonvolatile memory. It can batch multiple write operations, manage write caching, and coordinate redundant writes across multiple storage devices in an optimized manner, thereby improving write speed while maintaining data redundancy through the underlying nonvolatile memory writes.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system including: a first computer including a first processor and a first nonvolatile memory; and a second computer including a second processor and a second nonvolatile memory in which the second computer is connected to the first computer. The first computer includes a redundant hardware that, on receiving a write command from the first processor, writes the write data of the write command both into the first nonvolatile memory and into the second computer.