US 2014/0181385 A1 · FLEXIBLE UTILIZATION OF BLOCK STORAGE IN A COMPUTING SYSTEM

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for utilizing a block storage device as Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) space, wherein a computer includes at least one DRAM module and at least one block storage device interfaced to the computer using a double data rate (DDR) interface. During boot up, the computer configures DRAM and block storage devices of the computer for utilization as DRAM or block storage. Then the computer determines that more DRAM space is required. Responsive to determining that more DRAM space is required, the computer transforms a block storage device into DRAM space. Once the computer determines that the transformed block storage device that is being used for DRAM space is no longer needed to be used as DRAM space, the computer transforms the block storage device back to block storage space.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for utilizing a block storage device as Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) space, the method comprising:

a computer configuring at least one DRAM module and at least one block storage device for utilization as DRAM space or block storage;
the computer determining that more DRAM space is required;
responsive to determining that more DRAM space is required, the computer transforming at least one block storage device to DRAM space;
the computer determining that the at least one block storage device is no longer required to be used as DRAM space;
and
the computer transforming the at least one block storage device back to block storage space.

3 more elements

A computer system for utilizing a block storage device as Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) space, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;
one or more computer-readable storage media;
program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to configure configuring at least one DRAM module and at least one block storage device for utilization as DRAM space or block storage;
program instructions to determine that more DRAM space is required;
responsive to determining that more DRAM space is required, program instructions to transform at least one block storage device to DRAM space;
program instructions to determine that the at least one block storage device is no longer required to be used as DRAM space;
and
program instructions to transform the at least one block storage device back to block storage space.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Flexible utilization of block storage in a computing system

Life of this patent

Flexible utilization of block storage in a computing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20