Sequential Read Optimization in Memory Sub-Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional memory sub-systems face performance overhead and latency issues during sequential read operations due to the need for multiple data structure lookups, which are not optimized for sequential data layouts.
Innovation Solution
Employing a shared volatile memory to communicate between the translation processor and the command execution processor, allowing for a set of command tags to be generated and sent directly, bypassing further lookups, and enabling read lookahead operations to store data in buffers for efficient retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional memory sub-systems perform sequential read operations using traditional data structure lookups, then data can be retrieved from memory devices, but performance overhead and latency increase due to multiple lookup operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing read-ahead operations that proactively load sequential data into buffers before actual read requests arrive. The controller predicts upcoming read operations based on sequential access patterns and pre-loads data, eliminating the need for multiple lookup operations when actual read requests are received. This resolves the contradiction by reducing latency through advance data preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary buffer layer between the memory devices and the host system. This buffer acts as a mediator that stores pre-loaded sequential data, allowing read requests to be served from the buffer without requiring multiple data structure lookups in the underlying memory devices. This intermediary structure resolves the technical contradiction by decoupling read performance from the overhead of traditional lookup operations.
2Productivity
If read operations are handled through traditional lookup methods, then data retrieval is possible, but write operations are interrupted causing performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments read and write operations into separate processing paths. Read operations are handled through the read-ahead buffer mechanism, while write operations proceed independently through the programming interface. This segmentation allows read operations to be served from buffers without interrupting write operations to memory devices, resolving the contradiction by eliminating mutual interference between read and write paths.
Solution Approach 2:
By performing read operations in advance and storing results in buffers, the system prepares read data before write operations occur. This preliminary action ensures that when write operations are performed, read requests can be satisfied from pre-loaded buffers without causing interruptions to the write pipeline, thereby maintaining overall system throughput.
3Reliability
If multiple data structure lookups are performed for each read operation, then accurate data retrieval is ensured, but device complexity and operation overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs data structure lookups in advance during read-ahead operations, storing the results in buffers with associated metadata. When actual read requests arrive, the system retrieves data from buffers using simple buffer management operations rather than performing complex multi-level data structure lookups. This preliminary execution of lookup operations resolves the contradiction by reducing operation complexity while maintaining data retrieval accuracy through pre-computed address mappings.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a volatile memory having buffers and a processing device. A command generation processor receives, from a host, a read request with a logical block address (LBA) and creates a first logical transfer unit (LTU), including the first LBA, that is to be mapped to a physical address. The command generation processor reads a flag to determine that the first LTU is associated with a zone of LBA address space, the zone including sequential LBAs that are sequentially mapped to sequential physical addresses. The command generation processor generates command tags that are to direct the processing device to retrieve the data from the memory device and store the data in a set of the buffers, where the command tags include a first command tag associated with the physical address and a second command tag associated with a second physical address that sequentially follows the physical address.