Data can be encoded in physical medium and represented by shapes having many various physical attributes. In various examples, data points are encoded and represented by the physical shape, color, size, and/or structure of objects. In one embodiment, holes in memory surface substrates represent data. Various attributes of such holes, including depth, profile size, profile shape, and/or angle can represent data.

Systems and methods for maximizing shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drive capacity are described. In one embodiment, the SMR drive may include a main store to store user-accessible data, a media cache and media scratchpad to store internal data temporarily for internal operations, and a storage controller to process read and write requests. In some cases, the main store comprises a shingled media partition and an unshingled media partition. The storage controller may designate one or more data tracks from the shingled media partition as temporary data track guard bands. In some embodiments, a track range is selected based at least in part on at least one of an amount of data in the media cache, a size of the new data in the media cache, and an association between the new data in the media cache and data currently stored within the selected track range.

A method includes a processing module receiving data to store and determining error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on an error profile of one or more hard drives. The method continues with the processing module encoding at least a portion of the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of data slices. The method continues with the processing module defining addressable storage sectors within the one or more hard drives based on a number of data slices within the set of data slices to produce a set of addressable storage sectors. The method continues with the processing module storing data slices of the set of data slices in corresponding addressable storage sectors of the set of addressable storage sectors.

According to the embodiment, an HDC receives a plurality of data segments from a host, and executes generation and addition of a first code and output of a data segment to which the first code is added to each data segment. An HDC calculates exclusive OR with respect to the first codes, and outputs obtained first information. The RWC performs data conversion and calculation of exclusive OR on the plurality of data segments to which the first code is added, and outputs the plurality of data segments after the data conversion and a track parity obtained by the calculation of the exclusive OR. The RWC acquires the first code from the plurality of data segments. The RWC calculates exclusive OR with respect to a group of the second codes which are the acquired first codes to acquire second information. The RWC compares the first information with the second information.

Systems and methods for maximizing shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drive capacity are described. In one embodiment, the SMR drive may include a main store to store user-accessible data, a media cache and media scratchpad to store internal data temporarily for internal operations, and a storage controller to process read and write requests. In some cases, the main store comprises a shingled media partition and an unshingled media partition. The storage controller may designate one or more data tracks from the shingled media partition as temporary data track guard bands. In some embodiments, a track range is selected based at least in part on at least one of an amount of data in the media cache, a size of the new data in the media cache, and an association between the new data in the media cache and data currently stored within the selected track range.

A data storage device includes one or more storage media that include multiple physical storage locations. The device also includes at least one cache memory having a logical space that includes a plurality of separately managed logical block address (LBA) ranges. Additionally, a controller is included in the device. The controller is configured to receive data extents addressed by a first LBA and a logical block count. The controller is also configured to identify at least one separately managed LBA range of the plurality of separately managed LBA ranges in the at least one cache memory based on LBAs associated with at least some of the received data extents. The controller stores the at least some of the received data extents in substantially monotonically increasing LBA order in at least one physical storage location, of the at least one cache memory, assigned to the identified at least one LBA range.

A data storage device includes one or more storage media that include multiple physical storage locations. The device also includes at least one cache memory having a logical space that includes a plurality of separately managed logical block address (LBA) ranges. Additionally, a controller is included in the device. The controller is configured to receive data extents addressed by a first LBA and a logical block count. The controller is also configured to identify at least one separately managed LBA range of the plurality of separately managed LBA ranges in the at least one cache memory based on LBAs associated with at least some of the received data extents. The controller stores the at least some of the received data extents in substantially monotonically increasing LBA order in at least one physical storage location, of the at least one cache memory, assigned to the identified at least one LBA range.

Systems and methods for maximizing shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drive capacity are described. In one embodiment, the SMR drive may include a main store to store user-accessible data, a media cache and media scratchpad to store internal data temporarily for internal operations, and a storage controller to process read and write requests. In some cases, the main store comprises a shingled media partition and an unshingled media partition. The storage controller may designate one or more data tracks from the shingled media partition as temporary data track guard bands. In some embodiments, a track range is selected based at least in part on at least one of an amount of data in the media cache, a size of the new data in the media cache, and an association between the new data in the media cache and data currently stored within the selected track range.

A data storage system includes data storage and random access memory. A sorting module is communicatively coupled to the random access memory and is configured to sort data blocks of incoming write data received in the random access memory. A storage controller is communicatively coupled to the random access memory and the data storage and is configured to write the sorted data blocks as individually-sorted data block sets to a staging area of the data storage. A method and processor-implemented process provide for sorting data blocks of incoming write data received in a random access memory of data storage and writing the sorted data blocks as individually-sorted data block sets to a staging area of the data storage.

A data storage system includes data storage and random access memory. A sorting module is communicatively coupled to the random access memory and is configured to sort data blocks of incoming write data received in the random access memory. A storage controller is communicatively coupled to the random access memory and the data storage and is configured to write the sorted data blocks as individually-sorted data block sets to a staging area of the data storage. A method and processor-implemented process provide for sorting data blocks of incoming write data received in a random access memory of data storage and writing the sorted data blocks as individually-sorted data block sets to a staging area of the data storage.