Storage subsystem and its data processing method for reducing the amount of data to be stored in nonvolatile memory

摘要

The amount of data to be stored in a semiconductor nonvolatile memory can be reduced and overhead associated with data processing can be reduced. When a microprocessor receives a write request from a host computer and data D1 to D3 exist in a cache slot, the microprocessor reads the LBA of each piece of the data, manages each piece of the data D1 to D3 using a bitmap table by associating them with their LBAs, generates a specific command CMD based on the LBAs of the data D1 to D3, adds the data D1 to D3 and addresses ADD1 to ADD3 indicating where the data D1 to D3 are to be stored, to the specific command CMD, and sends it to an FMPK. The FMPK stores each piece of update data in a specified block in the flash memory based on the specific command CMD.

主权项

1. A storage system comprising:
a plurality of flash memory packages, each of the plurality of flash memory packages including a plurality of flash memory chips and a memory controller configured to store data in the plurality of flash memory chips; and storage controller comprising a cache memory and a processor, wherein the cache memory is divided into a plurality of cache slots, the plurality of cache slots being associated with sequential logical block addresses, and wherein the processor is configured to: store update data into one of the plurality of cache slots according to a write request received from a computer, and manage the update data as dirty data, thereby having a dirty status, the write request including the update data and a logical block address indicating a storage area in which the update data is to be stored in a target of the write request; and determine whether the target of the write request is a flash memory package of the plurality of flash memory packages, wherein when it is determined that the target of the write request is the flash memory package, the processor is further configured to:
check the dirty status of a plurality of update data stored in the plurality of cache slots;generate an address list including a plurality of logical block addresses corresponding to each of the plurality of update data when the plurality of update data is stored in separate locations in the plurality of cache slots; andsend a specific command to the flash memory package, the specific command including the plurality of update data and the address list.