Pregroomer for storage array

A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer system to cause the computer system to:

• select a first of a plurality of erase blocks in a storage array accessible to the computer system;
• and
• invalidate a subset of valid data within the first erase block.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory having program instruction stored therein that are executable by the one or more processors to implement:
• a first process executable to select one of a plurality of storage blocks based on a set of analysis criteria and to invalidate, without erasing, data in the selected storage block.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a pregrooming means for selecting one or more of a plurality of storage blocks within a log-structured storage array based on a set of analysis criteria, wherein the log-structured storage array has an append point specifying a current location within the array, wherein the pregrooming means is also for copying valid data from the one or more storage blocks to the current location specified by the append point;
• and
• a grooming means for selecting the one or more storage blocks as candidates for erasure and for erasing the one or more storage blocks.

An apparatus configured to manage a plurality of erase blocks in a storage array, the apparatus comprising:

• a selection module configured to select a first of the plurality of erase blocks;
• and
• a copy module configured to copy a subset of valid data within the first erase block to a second of the plurality of erase blocks.