A storage system includes a management node and a plurality of storage nodes forming a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). When the management node determines that not all data in an entire stripe is updated based on a received write request, the management node sends update data chunk obtained from to-be-written data to corresponding storage node. The storage node do not directly update, based on the received update data chunks, data block stored in storage device of the storage node, but store the update data chunk into non-volatile memories (NVM) cache of the storage node and send the update data chunk to another storage node to backup. According to the data updating method, write amplification problems caused in a stripe update process can be reduced, thereby improving update performance of the storage system.

A CPU package includes an encryption and decryption module disposed in a communication path between an instruction path of a processor core and a data register that is externally accessible through a debug port, and a key store accessible to the module. The module is configured to encrypt and store data in the data register for each of a plurality of processes being handled in the instruction path, wherein data owned by each process is encrypted and decrypted by the module using an encryption key assigned to the process. The key store is configured to store the encryption key assigned to each of a plurality of processes, wherein the key store is inaccessible outside the CPU package. The data is only decrypted for a requesting process having a process identifier that matches the process identifier stored in the processor data structure along with the requested data.

Systems and methods can implement one or more intelligent caching algorithms that reduce wear on the SSD and/or to improve caching performance. Such algorithms can improve storage utilization and I/O efficiency by taking into account the write-wearing limitations of the SSD. Accordingly, the systems and methods can cache to the SSD while avoiding writing too frequently to the SSD to increase or attempt to increase the lifespan of the SSD. The systems and methods may, for instance, write data to the SSD once that data has been read from the hard disk or memory multiple times to avoid or attempt to avoid writing data that has been read only once. The systems and methods may also write large chunks of data to the SSD at once instead of a single unit of data at a time. Further, the systems and methods can write to the SSD in a circular fashion.

In an example method, write commands for a solid-state storage medium having storage region are received. Selected write commands are filtered out according to criteria. The selected write commands are cached. Writing pursuant to the selected write commands is aggregated to within boundaries of one of the storage regions of the storage medium.

A request to access data at an address is received from a host system. A tag associated with the address is determined to not be found in first entries in a first content-addressable memory (CAM) or in second entries in a second CAM. Responsive to determining that the tag is not found in the first entries or in the second entries, a particular entry of the first entries that each includes valid data is selected. A determination is made whether the particular entry satisfies a condition indicating that content in the particular entry is to be stored in the second CAM. The content is associated with other data stored in the cache. Responsive to determining that the condition is satisfied, the content of the particular entry is stored in one of the second entries to maintain the data in the cache.

According to one embodiment, a disk medium rotates in a first rotation state when access is given, and rotates in a second rotation state lower in rotation number than the first rotation state when access is not given. A controller receives, from a host device, a read command for reading first data stored in a first buffer, when the disk medium is in the second rotation state. The controller transmits the first data from the first buffer to the host device, without causing a shift into the first rotation state, and then shifts the disk medium into the first rotation state after completion of execution of the read command.

The present disclosure includes memory having a static cache and a dynamic cache. A number of embodiments include a memory, wherein the memory includes a first portion configured to operate as a static single level cell (SLC) cache and a second portion configured to operate as a dynamic SLC cache when the entire first portion of the memory has data stored therein.

One embodiment facilitates a high-density converged storage system. During operation, the system receives, by a volatile memory of a storage device via a memory bus, data to be stored in a non-volatile memory of the same storage device. The system writes, by a controller of the storage device, the data directly to the non-volatile memory via the volatile memory, e.g., without using a serial bus protocol.

A multi-mode hybrid memory drive comprises a bulk memory device and a removable cache memory device. A controller of the bulk memory device may be configured to operate the bulk memory device in either a stand-alone mode or a hybrid mode responsive to detecting the removable cache memory device being coupled with a cache port of the bulk memory device. A method of operating a multi-mode hybrid drive may also comprise monitoring a cache port of a bulk memory device to determine a presence of a removable cache memory device, operating the bulk memory device as a stand-alone drive responsive to determining the removable cache memory device is not present, and operating the bulk memory device as a hybrid drive using the removable cache memory device as a data cache responsive to determining the removable cache memory device is present. Additional hybrid memory drives and computer systems are also described.

A technique for managing cache in a data storage system is disclosed. Data storage system cache memory is arranged into multiple input/output (IO) cache macroblocks, where a first set of IO cache macroblocks are configured as compressed IO cache macroblocks, each compressed IO cache macroblock storing a plurality of variable sized compressed IO data blocks, and a second set of IO cache macroblocks are configured as non-compressed IO cache macroblocks, each non-compressed IO cache macroblock storing a plurality of fixed sized non-compressed IO data blocks. A write request is receive at the data storage system. If the IO data associated with the write request is determined to be compressible, the IO data is compressed in-line and written to an IO data block in a compressed IO cache macroblock, otherwise non-compressed IO data is written to an IO data block in a non-compressed IO cache macroblock.