Power management for storage controllers

A method for operating a storage controller, the method comprising:

• receiving a system clock signal having a system frequency;
• determining at least one performance metric for one or more pipeline stages of a plurality of pipeline stages of the storage controller;
• generating, based at least in part on the system frequency, a first clock signal having a first frequency for operation of a first pipeline stage of the plurality of pipeline stages;
• generating, based at least in part on the at least one determined performance metric, a second clock signal having a second frequency for operation of a second pipeline stage of the plurality of pipeline stages, wherein the at least one determined performance metric indicates at least one of a throughput of commands processed by a previous pipeline stage relative to the second pipeline stage and a throughput of commands processed by a next pipeline stage relative to the second pipeline stage, and
• wherein the second frequency differs from the first frequency;
• and
• operating the first pipeline stage at the first frequency using the first clock signal while operating the second pipeline stage at the second frequency using the second clock signal.

A storage controller, comprising:

• a plurality of pipeline stages configured to process data;
• and
• means for:
• receiving a system clock signal having a system frequency;
• determining at least one performance metric for one or more pipeline stages of the plurality of pipeline stages;
• generating a first clock signal having a first frequency for operation of a first pipeline stage of the plurality of pipeline stages;
• based at least in part on the at least one determined performance metric, generating a second clock signal having a second frequency for operation of a second pipeline stage of the plurality of pipeline stages, wherein the at least one determined performance metric indicates at least one of a throughput of commands processed by a previous pipeline stage relative to the second pipeline stage and a throughput of commands processed by a next pipeline stage relative to the second pipeline stage, and
• wherein the second frequency is less than the system frequency;
• and
• operating the first pipeline stage at the first frequency while operating the second pipeline stage at the second frequency.