SSD Container Write Removal to Reduce Write Amplification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Solid-state drives (SSDs) experience write amplification due to the need to erase data by block, leading to increased overhead and reduced lifespan, as they are limited in the number of times a block can be erased.

Innovation Solution

A system that designates a continuous space on the SSD for writes of containers, synchronizes their execution, and removes the writes simultaneously upon completion, reducing the need for data movement and thus write amplification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is erased by block level in SSDs, then data can be completely cleared from storage blocks, but write amplification increases and SSD lifespan is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata erasure completenessVSAvoidwrite amplification
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by identifying and tracking container writes before they need to be erased. The method maintains metadata about write locations and proactively prepares for erasure by organizing write information, allowing the SSD to erase only necessary blocks rather than performing full block erasures, thus reducing write amplification while ensuring complete data removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If data is moved to different blocks to enable erasure, then SSD can maintain continuous operation, but overhead and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSSD operational continuityVSAvoiddata movement overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the metadata management function from the main SSD data path. By maintaining a separate metadata structure that tracks write locations, the system can identify erasable blocks without moving data. This extraction allows the SSD to erase data in place when possible, reducing the need for complex data movement operations while maintaining operational continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If entire blocks are erased regardless of data release status, then erasure process is simplified, but write amplification increases due to moving unreleased data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerasure process simplicityVSAvoidwrite amplification
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the erasure process into two distinct phases: identification of releasable data using metadata tracking, and selective erasure of only those blocks containing fully released data. This segmentation allows the SSD to avoid erasing blocks with unreleased data, eliminating the need to move such data and thereby reducing write amplification while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4020155B1Managing write removal for solid-state drives
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 RED HAT INC
  • EP4020155B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4020155B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4020155B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Write removal for solid-state drives can be managed. For example, a computing device can designate a space of a solid-state drive (SSD) for a write of container. The computing device can store the write for the container in the space in response to loading the container for executing the container. The computing device can determine an end to an execution phase for the container. In response to determining the end to the execution phase, the computing device can remove the write from the space of the SSD.