Storage System Token Provisioning for Random Read Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage systems face performance issues due to the need for logical-to-physical address translation during read operations, which can negatively affect random access performance due to cache management challenges in maintaining and swapping the logical-to-physical address map.
Innovation Solution
The storage system provides a token containing the physical address to the host, allowing direct data access without completing the logical-to-physical address translation, and verifies the token to ensure accurate data retrieval, thereby bypassing the need for translation during read operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If logical-to-physical address translation is performed during read operations, then data can be retrieved using logical addresses, but random access performance deteriorates due to cache management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The host system performs preliminary action by obtaining the physical address through token provisioning during the write operation, and stores this physical address in its cache. During subsequent read operations, the host uses this pre-stored physical address directly without requiring logical-to-physical address translation, thereby eliminating the performance bottleneck while maintaining data retrieval capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the address translation function from the storage system to the host system. The storage system provides only the physical address (via token) during write operations, and the host system independently manages the logical-to-physical address mapping in its cache, removing the translation overhead from the storage system's read path and improving random access performance
2Extent of automation
If logical-to-physical address map is maintained in cache, then address translation can be performed, but cache management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The address translation functionality is extracted from the storage system's cache management and relocated to the host system. The storage system's cache only needs to maintain minimal token information (physical addresses), while the host system independently manages the logical-to-physical address mapping, significantly reducing the storage system's cache management complexity while preserving automated address translation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The host system acts as an intermediary that manages the logical-to-physical address mapping. Instead of the storage system maintaining and managing the complete address map in its cache, the host system intermediates between logical addresses and physical addresses by storing and retrieving the mapping in its own cache, thereby reducing the storage system's complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system and method for token provisioning for faster data access are provided. In one embodiment, a storage system is provided comprising a memory and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a write command from a host to write data in the memory; write the data in the memory at a starting physical address; provide the host with a token indicating the starting physical address; receive a read command and the token from the host; and read the data stored in the memory at the starting physical address as indicated by the token. Other embodiments are provided.