Storage Device Logical Address Space Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage devices face challenges in supporting namespaces of varying sizes without significant cost increases, as they often require expanding physical memory to manage multiple namespaces efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The method involves partitioning the entire area of a namespace into segments based on a reference size, expanding the logical address space when necessary, and allocating logical address spaces to each segment, while optimizing the size of the segment mapping table to minimize cost increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the size of the memory of the storage device is increased to support namespaces of different sizes, then the storage device can manage multiple namespaces, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the logical address space into multiple segments, where each segment can be independently allocated to different namespaces. This segmentation allows the storage device to support multiple namespaces of varying sizes without requiring the entire memory to be expanded, as segments can be dynamically assigned based on namespace requirements rather than requiring full memory capacity for each namespace.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a logical address space dimension that is separate from the physical memory dimension. By creating a virtual layer of logical addresses that can be mapped to physical memory through segmentation, the system enables namespaces of different sizes without physically expanding memory capacity, effectively adding an addressable dimension that decouples logical namespace size from physical memory size.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the logical address space is expanded to support various namespace sizes, then namespace versatility improves, but the segment mapping table size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The logical address space is divided into fixed-size segments, and the segment mapping table only needs to store mappings for these segments rather than individual address lines. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the mapping table compared to a direct address mapping, as the table manages segment-level allocations rather than byte-level allocations, thereby controlling complexity even as logical address space expands.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a segment mapping table as an intermediary layer between the logical address space and physical memory. This intermediary structure simplifies the mapping process by operating at the segment level rather than requiring direct mapping of every address, thereby reducing the overall complexity and size requirements of the mapping infrastructure while still supporting expanded logical address spaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a storage device with a memory includes partitioning an entire area of a first namespace into at least one area based on a reference size. The partitioning is performed in response to a namespace creating request from a host that includes size information corresponding to the entire area of the first namespace. The method further includes partitioning a logical address space of the memory into a plurality of segments, allocating a first segment of the plurality of segments to a first area of the at least one area, and storing mapping information of the first area and the first segment. A size of the logical address space is greater than a size of a physical storage space of the memory identified by the host.