Storage system and method for prediction-based pre-erase of blocks to improve sequential performance

In a storage system comprising a memory, a method comprising:

• performing garbage collection on a block in the memory;
• determining that a number of write commands in a command queue in the storage system is above a threshold;
• in response to determining that the number of write commands in the command queue is above the threshold, pre-erasing the block in the memory, wherein pre-erasing the block comprises performing an erase operation on the block that would otherwise be performed as part of a write operation of the block;
• and
• executing the write commands, wherein the pre-erased block is used to store data written by the write commands.

A storage system comprising:

• a memory;
• means for performing garbage collection on first and second blocks in the memory;
• and
• one or both of the following:
• means for passive pre-erasing of the first block in the memory based on a machine-learning prediction, wherein passive pre-erasing of the first block comprises performing an erase operation on the first block that would otherwise be performed as part of a write operation of the first block;
• and
• means for active pre-erasing of the second block in the memory based on a command-queue-based prediction, wherein active pre-erasing of the second block comprises performing an erase operation on the second block that would otherwise be performed as part of a write operation of the second block.