Storage device and operating method thereof

A storage device comprising:

• a storage controller;
• and
• a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells having a first data retention time and a second memory region including second memory cells having a second data retention time that is less than the first data retention time,
• wherein, based on an erase request being received from a host in a first operation mode, the storage controller is further configured to switch from the first operation mode to a second operation mode when a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity and a valid page count (VPC) of the non-volatile memory is less than a first reference count, and to maintain the first operation mode when the capacity is less than or equal to the reference capacity or the VPC is greater than or equal to the first reference count,
• wherein, when a program request is received from the host in the first operation mode, the storage controller is configured to program program data in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region, and
• wherein, when the program request is received from the host in the second operation mode, the storage controller is configured to program the program data only in the first memory region.

An operating method of a storage device including a non-volatile memory including a first memory region including first memory cells and a second memory region including second memory cells and a storage controller configured to program data or erase data in the non-volatile memory based on a request received from a host, the operating method comprising:

• receiving an erase request from the host in a first operation mode in which the program data is programmed in a memory region selected from the first memory region and the second memory region;
• determining whether a capacity of memory blocks of which data is requested to be erased is greater than a reference capacity;
• based on the capacity being less than or equal to the reference capacity, maintaining the first operation mode;
• based on the capacity being greater than the reference capacity, determining whether a valid page count (VPC) of the non-volatile memory is less than a first reference count;
• based on the VPC being greater than or equal to the first reference count, maintaining the first operation mode;
• and
• based on the VPC being less than the first reference count, switching from the first operation mode to a second operation mode in which the program data is programmed only in the first memory region.