Including performance-related hints in requests to composite memory

摘要

A composite memory device that includes different types of non-volatile memory devices, which have different performance characteristics, is described. This composite memory device may receive requests, a given one of which includes a command, a logical address for at least a block of data associated with the command, and a hint associated with the command. For the given request, the composite memory device executes the command on the block of data at the logical address in at least one of the types of non-volatile memory devices. Furthermore, the composite memory device conditionally executes the hint based on one or more criteria, such as: available memory in the types of non-volatile memory devices, traffic through an interface circuit in the composite memory device, operational states of the types of non-volatile memory devices, a target performance characteristic of the composite memory device, and an environmental condition of the composite memory device.

主权项

1. A composite memory device comprising:
different types of non-volatile memory devices having different performance characteristics; an interface circuit configured to receive requests, wherein a given request includes a command, a logical address for at least a block of data associated with the command, and a hint associated with the command, wherein the hint is a conditionally executed instruction; control logic, coupled to the interface circuit and the different types of non-volatile memory, configured to execute the command on the block of data at the logical address in at least one of the different types of non-volatile memory devices, and after completing execution of the command on the block of data, to conditionally execute the hint based on current command traffic through the interface circuit between a host device and the different types of non-volatile memory devices, the hint to specify a future location of the block of data in the different types of non-volatile memory devices, wherein the future location is to cause a data migration among the different types of non-volatile memory devices; and wherein the control logic is to conditionally execute the hint after the current command traffic is executed.