Fast new file creation cache

A data processing system comprising:

• a processing system comprising at least a first processor;
• a volatile memory storing at least a portion of an executing file system and an operating system;
• a non-volatile memory which is a composite system treated as at least one logical volume by the file system and which comprises a fast storage device and a slow storage device, wherein the processing system is configured to store and maintain a mapping table which maps a logical address for the logical volume to a physical address of one of the fast and the slow storage device, the logical address being specified by the file system and wherein the processing system is configured to receive a request for a write operation for data to be written to the logical volume and is configured to determine whether the write operation is for a new file in the file system;
• and
• wherein the processing system is configured to write the data for the write operation to one or more portions of the fast storage device in response to determining that the write operation is for a new file in the file system and in response to determining that the fast storage device has sufficient available space;
• and
• wherein the processing system is configured to determine from the mapping table whether to write the data for the write operation to one of the fast or the slow storage devices in response to determining that the write operation not for a new file and the processing system is configured to cause the writing of the data to either of the fast or the slow storage devices as specified by the mapping table when the write operation is not for a new file.

A method for operating a non-volatile storage system which is treated as at least one logical volume and which is a composite system that includes a fast non-volatile storage device and a slow non-volatile storage device, the method comprising;

• maintaining a mapping table which maps a logical address for the logical volume to a physical address of one of the fast or the slow non-volatile storage devices, the logical address being specified by a file system;
• receiving a request for a write operation having data to be written to the logical volume;
• determining if the write operation is for a new file in the file system;
• writing the data for the write operation to one or more portions of the fast non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the write operation is for a new file and in response to determining that the fast non-volatile storage device has sufficient available space;
• determining from the mapping table whether to write the data for the write operation to one of the fast or the slow non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the write operation is not for a new file;
• writing the data for the write operation to the fast or the slow non-volatile storage device as specified by the mapping table in response to determining that the write operation is not for a new file.

A data processing system having a non-volatile storage system which is treated as at least one logical volume and which is a composite system that includes a fast non-volatile storage device and a slow non-volatile storage device, the data processing system comprising:

• means for maintaining a mapping table which maps a logical address for the logical volume to a physical address of one of the fast or the slow non-volatile storage devices, the logical address being specified by a file system;
• means for receiving a request for a write operation having data to be written to the logical volume;
• means for determining if the write operation is for a new file in the file system;
• means for writing the data for the write operation to one or more portions of the fast non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the write operation is for a new file and in response to determining that the fast non-volatile storage device has sufficient available space;
• means for determining from the mapping table whether to write the data for the write operation to one of the fast or the slow non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the write operation is not for a new file;
• means for writing the data for the write operation to the fast or the slow non-volatile storage device as specified by the mapping table in response to determining that the write operation is not for a new file.