Tempered Pacing for Shingled Magnetic Recording Write Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shingled magnetic recording (SMR) technology in data storage devices leads to unpredictable performance due to bursty write operations, causing difficulties in large data centers with many concurrent drives, affecting host system predictability and device-to-device variation in data transfer, process scheduling, and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a temperance management system that throttles the reporting of random write completions to manage bursty performance, using a storage control system to determine a reporting pace that tempers the transfer of write operations from a temporary storage region to an SMR region, ensuring consistent performance across data storage devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If SMR technology is used to increase storage density, then storage capacity is improved, but write operation performance becomes unpredictable and bursty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary action by storing write data in a temporary storage region (cache) before transferring it to the SMR storage region. This allows the host system to receive immediate acknowledgment of write operations without waiting for the actual SMR write completion, thereby smoothing out the bursty performance characteristics of SMR technology while maintaining high storage capacity benefits
2Productivity
If write data is transferred quickly to SMR region, then throughput is improved, but performance becomes unpredictable for host systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (temporary storage region/cache) between the host system and the SMR storage region. This intermediary buffers the direct interaction, allowing fast data transfer to occur while decoupling the host system from the unpredictable timing of actual SMR write operations, thus maintaining both high throughput and performance predictability
3Quantity of substance
If multiple data storage devices are used in data centers, then storage capacity is improved, but device-to-device variation in performance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by implementing a standardized temperance management approach across multiple data storage devices. Each device uses the same temporary storage region mechanism and reporting pace determination, which normalizes their performance characteristics despite differences in underlying SMR hardware variations, enabling consistent performance across device families
Data Source
AI summary
To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage device is provided that includes storage media comprising a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) storage region. The data storage device also includes a storage control system configured to receive write operations and responsively store write data in a first storage region prior to transferring into the SMR storage region. The storage control system is configured to determine a reporting pace for transferring the write operations from the first storage region into the SMR storage region, the reporting pace establishing a target performance that is tempered from storage of the write data into the first storage region. The storage control system is configured to report completion of the write operations over a host interface at the reporting pace.