Method of managing data in storage device based on variable size mapping, method of operating storage device using the same and storage device performing the same

A method of operating a storage device including a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips each of which includes a plurality of pages, the storage device operating based on a variable size mapping, the method comprising:

• performing a data write operation based on a first write command, a first logical address and a first data object received from an external host device, the first data object, wherein a size of the first data object does not correspond to a multiple of a page size, the first data object corresponding to the first logical address, and the first logical address is a single address;
• and
• performing a data read operation based on a first read command and the first logical address received from the external host device,
• wherein the performing the data write operation comprises:
• determining whether it is possible to store the first data object in a single page among the plurality of pages;
• based on determining that it is impossible to store the first data object in the single page, setting a buffering policy for the first data object based on at least one selection parameter;
• storing the first data object using two or more pages based on the buffering policy for the first data object;
• mapping the first logical address of the first data object and a first physical address of the two or more pages in which the first data object is stored;
• and
• storing a buffering direction representing the buffering policy for the first data object, and a mapping result.

A storage device comprising:

• a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips, each nonvolatile memory chip of the plurality of nonvolatile memory chips including a plurality of pages;
• a buffer memory configured to temporarily store a first data portion stored the plurality of nonvolatile memory chips or store a second data portion to be stored into the plurality of nonvolatile memory chips;
• and
• a storage controller configured to:
• receive, from an external host device, a first data object, wherein a size of the first data object does not correspond to a multiple of a page size,
• determine whether it is possible to store the first data object in a single page among the plurality of pages,
• based on determining that it is impossible to store the first data object in the single page:
• set a buffering policy for the first data object based on at least one selection parameter,
• map, using a flash translation layer, a first logical address of the first data object and a first physical address of pages in which the first data object is stored, and
• store a buffering direction representing the buffering policy for the first data object, and
• based on determining that it is possible to store the first data object in the single page, map, using the flash translation layer, the first logical address and the first physical address of pages into the flash translation layer without setting the buffering policy,
• wherein the first logical address is a single address,
• wherein the at least one selection parameter includes at least one of a usage of the buffer memory associated with a data write operation, a reading performance associated with a data read operation, an average size of recently stored data objects among a plurality of data objects stored in the storage device, and a policy setting signal provided from the external host device,
• wherein the buffering policy is a first buffering policy in which the first data object is stored in different pages included in different nonvolatile memory chips, or a second buffering policy in which the first data object is stored in second pages of a single nonvolatile memory chip, and
• wherein the first physical address of pages includes a position of a first page which is a foremost page among the pages in which the first data object is stored, and a starting position of the first data object in the first page.