Storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9645741-B2
Application number	US-201414249082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2014
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A storage module and host device for storage module defragmentation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a host controller sends a storage module a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module. The host controller receives a metric from the storage module indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of memory in the storage module. If the metric is greater than a threshold, the host controller reads the file and then writes it back to the storage module using a different set of logical block addresses. To avoid sending the file back and forth, in another embodiment, the host controller sends the fragmentation threshold and the different set of logical block addresses to the storage module. The storage module then moves the file itself if the metric indicative of the fragmentation level is greater than the threshold. Other embodiments are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage module comprising:
a memory; and
a storage controller operatively in communication with the memory, wherein the storage controller is configured to:
receive, from a host controller, a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module, a second set of logical block addresses for a new location of the file, an instruction as to what writing mode to use to write the file to the memory, and a fragmentation threshold;
determine a metric indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of the memory in the storage module;
determine whether the metric is greater than a threshold; and
in response to determining that the metric is greater than the threshold, write the file according to the writing mode to the second set of logical block addresses.

2. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the writing mode comprises a best effort mode, in which the storage module makes its best effort to write the file using a minimum number of physical blocks.

3. The storage module of claim 2 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to receive an indication of a type of the file from the host controller, wherein an effort the storage module makes to write the file is based on the type of file.

4. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the writing mode comprises a warranted mode in which the storage module must write the file using a minimum number of physical blocks.

5. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:
send a metric indicative of a level of fragmentation of the file written to the second set of logical block addresses.

6. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the metric comprises a number of physical blocks in the storage module containing the file.

7. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the metric comprises a hot/cold indication.

8. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the metric comprises a mapping efficiency indication.

9. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to repeat the method for a plurality of files, wherein the sets of logical block addresses for the files are received on an individual basis from the host controller.

10. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to repeat the method for a plurality of files, wherein the sets of logical block addresses for the files are received in a group from the host controller.

11. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:
receive an indication from the host controller that multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of a same file.

12. The storage module of claim 11 , wherein a command is used by the host controller to indicate to the storage module when multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of the same file.

13. The storage module of claim 11 , wherein the indication that multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of the same file comprises a flag.

14. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the storage module is a three-dimensional memory.

15. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage module is embedded in a host containing the host controller.

16. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage module is removably connected to a host containing the host controller.

17. The storage module of claim 1 , wherein the storage module is a solid-state drive.

18. A method for storage module defragmentation, the method comprising:
performing the following in a storage module operatively in communication with a host controller and comprising a memory:
receiving, from the host controller, a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module, a second set of logical block addresses for a new location of the file, an instruction as to what writing mode to use to write the file to the memory, and a fragmentation threshold;
determining a metric indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of the memory in the storage module;
determining whether the metric is greater than a threshold; and
in response to determining that the metric is greater than the threshold, writing the file according to the writing mode to the second set of logical block addresses.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the writing mode comprises a best effort mode, in which the storage module makes its best effort to write the file using a minimum number of physical blocks.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving an indication of a type of the file from the host controller, wherein an effort the storage module makes to write the file is based on the type of file.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the writing mode comprises a warranted mode in which the storage module must write the file using a minimum number of physical blocks.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
sending a metric indicative of a level of fragmentation of the file written to the second set of logical block addresses.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the metric comprises a number of physical blocks in the storage module containing the file.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the metric comprises a hot/cold indication.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the metric comprises a mapping efficiency indication.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising repeating the method for a plurality of files, wherein the sets of logical block addresses for the files are received on an individual basis from the host controller.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising repeating the method for a plurality of files, wherein the sets of logical block addresses for the files are received in a group from the host controller.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
receiving an indication from the host controller that multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of a same file.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein a command is used by the host controller to indicate to the storage module when multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of the same file.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the indication that multiple non-consecutive logical block address ranges are part of the same file comprises a flag.

31. The method of claim 18 , wherein the memory of the storage module is a three-dimensional memory.

32. The method of claim 18 , wherein the storage module is embedded in a host containing the host controller.

33. The method of claim 18 , wherein the storage module is removably connected to a host containing the host controller.

34. The method of claim 18 , wherein the storage module is a solid-state drive.

35. A storage module comprising:
a memory;
means for receiving, from a host controller, a first set of logical block addresses of a file stored in the storage module, a second set of logical block addresses for a new location of the file, an instruction as to what writing mode to use to write the file to the memory, and a fragmentation threshold;
means for determining a metric indicative of a fragmentation level of the file in physical blocks of the

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Duzly Yacov
• Oshinsky Hadas
• Bar-Or Shahar
• Hahn Judah Gamliel

Classifications

• G06F12/023

  Free address space management · CPC title

• G06F16/1724

  Details of de-fragmentation performed by the file system (saving storage space on storage systems G06F3/0608; management of blocks in storage devices G06F3/064) · CPC title

• G06F3/0643

  Management of files · CPC title

• G06F3/061 Primary

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title

• G06F2212/1044

  Space efficiency improvement · CPC title