Data storage apparatus and operation method thereof

A data storage apparatus comprising:

• a storage comprising a plurality of memory blocks in which data are stored;
• and
• a controller configured to exchange data with the storage,
• wherein as a wear leveling operation is triggered, the controller selects, as a victim block, at least one of the memory blocks whose erase counts satisfy a first condition and whose erase points are close to a wear leveling trigger point, and performs the wear leveling operation.

An operation method of a data storage apparatus which includes a storage comprising a plurality of memory blocks in which data are stored, and a controller configured to exchange data with the storage, the operation method comprising:

• adding, by the controller, information on an erased memory block to a hot block list when the erased memory block occurs;
• selecting, by the controller, one or more candidate blocks among the plurality of memory blocks based on wear levels of the respective memory blocks;
• selecting, by the controller, at least one block in the hot block list, among the candidate blocks, as a victim block;
• and
• performing a wear leveling operation using the victim block.

A data storage apparatus comprising:

• a storage including a plurality of blocks;
• and
• a controller coupled to the storage and configured to:
• generate a hot block list including one or more hot blocks associated with an erase operation, among the plurality of blocks;
• select one or more candidate blocks among the plurality of blocks based on wear levels;
• select, as a victim block, a block in the hot block list among the candidate blocks;
• and
• use the victim block to perform a wear levelling operation.