Selective I/O Request Handling in Protected Memory States
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Flash-based SSDs face challenges in maintaining sufficient usable space due to disconnects between logical and physical storage capacity, leading to memory becoming stuck in a protected state and resulting in system downtime.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that evaluates the significance of incoming I/O requests and allows sufficiently significant requests to be performed while denying insufficiently significant ones, even when memory is in a protected state, thereby reclaiming unused memory and preventing system downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory enters a protected state to prevent overflow, then data integrity is protected, but memory becomes stuck and system downtime occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the state parameters of memory by transitioning from a fully protected state to a selective access state. The system modifies the protection parameter dynamically, allowing certain I/O requests to access memory even when physical storage is full, while maintaining protection against harmful operations. This resolves the contradiction by changing the protection parameter from binary (protected/not protected) to multi-state (selectively accessible).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to the memory protection mechanism. Instead of a static protected state, the system dynamically evaluates I/O requests based on their significance and selectively permits or denies access. The protection state becomes adaptive, responding to real-time conditions such as the type of I/O request, current memory status, and predicted impact on available space. This dynamic approach prevents system downtime while maintaining data integrity.
2Reliability
If conventional products apply user lockout to avoid memory overflow, then data integrity is maintained, but memory management and access performance degrade
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between types of I/O requests rather than applying a uniform protection policy. Significant I/O requests (such as those that can free up space or are critical for system operation) are permitted access to memory, while insignificant requests are denied. This localized differentiation maintains data integrity for critical operations while preserving memory access performance by allowing beneficial requests to proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the set of I/O requests into categories based on their significance and potential impact on memory availability. By evaluating each request's characteristics (such as whether it can free space, its priority, or its necessity), the system segments access permissions accordingly. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data integrity for important operations while preserving overall productivity by allowing selective access.
3Quantity of substance
If physical storage capacity is fully consumed, then storage efficiency is improved, but logical storage space becomes unavailable and operations are prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by allowing I/O requests that can preemptively free up space to be executed even when physical storage is full. The system identifies and permits requests that will result in space reclamation (such as deleting files, truncating data, or migrating data to alternative storage) before the storage becomes completely unavailable. This preliminary action maintains logical storage availability by proactively creating space through significant operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary evaluation mechanism that mediates between the full physical storage state and the need for logical storage availability. The significance evaluation system acts as an intermediary, assessing each I/O request's potential to resolve the storage conflict. By permitting requests with positive significance (those that free space or are critical), the intermediary mechanism maintains both high storage utilization and logical storage availability simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method, according to one approach, includes: receiving an indication that memory has entered a protected state. An I/O request that is intended for a target location in the memory is also received. Moreover, the relative significance of the I/O request is evaluated, and in response to concluding the I/O request is sufficiently significant, the I/O request is performed at the target location. However, in response to concluding the I/O request is insufficiently significant, the I/O request is denied.