Volatile Data Protection via Data Bundle Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Volatile data stored in storage devices is at risk of loss due to power interruptions or state resets, leading to potential data corruption or miscompare issues, especially in high-stakes domains like enterprise computing.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system that utilizes a controller to construct data bundles in volatile memory, employing data loss protection identifiers to track and prevent packet or metadata loss by transferring data to non-volatile backup memory during state resets, utilizing reserve power from spindle motors or other sources to ensure data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If volatile memory (DRAM) is used to cache data for high-speed transfer, then data transfer speed is improved, but data loss risk increases during power interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by detecting power interruption events and initiating data backup from volatile DRAM cache to non-volatile storage media before the data is lost. The system monitors for power failure conditions and automatically transfers cached data to persistent storage, ensuring data integrity even though the volatile memory is inherently unreliable during power interruptions.
2Productivity
If data is cached in volatile memory to improve performance, then productivity is improved, but data loss may occur during state resets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the state of volatile cached data and detecting when power interruptions or state resets occur. The system uses this feedback information to trigger automatic data protection mechanisms, transferring data from volatile to non-volatile storage based on the detected conditions, thereby preventing data loss while maintaining high productivity during normal operation.
3Productivity
If buffers and caches are used to increase apparent performance, then productivity is improved, but vulnerability to power interruptions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing proactive detection of power interruption events and initiating data protection transfers before the actual data loss occurs. The system prepares and executes backup operations from volatile buffers to non-volatile storage in response to detected power failures, thereby mitigating the vulnerability to power interruptions while preserving the performance benefits of using buffers and caches.
Data Source
AI summary
A plurality of aligned or unaligned data packets are received in a data storage device. A data bundle is constructed by concatenating different ones of the plurality of unaligned data packets. Data loss protection identifiers are utilized to track the construction of the data bundle. The data loss protection identifiers are employed to prevent at least one of packet data loss or metadata loss in response to detecting a state reset of the data storage device.