Non-volatile memory storage of write operation indentifier in data storage device
AssigneeMTI Technology Corporation
InventorsRandy H. Katz, David T. Powers, David H. Jaffe, Joseph Glider, Thomas E. Idleman
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for detecting and correcting various data errors that may arise in a mass data storage apparatus comprising a set of physical mass storage devices operating as one or more larger logical mass storage devices. More particularly, there is provided a method and apparatus for determining, on restoration of power to a device set, whether or not a write operation was interrupted when power was removed, and for reconstructing any data that may be inconsistent because of the removal of power.
Claims16
A memory comprising:
- a plurality of physical blocks of memory for storing (1) a plurality of blocks of data and (2) a first time stamp indicating time information uniquely identifying the write operation during which each of said plurality of blocks of data was stored, said physical blocks of memory being distributed among a set of physical devices operable as one or more logical units;
- a nonvolatile storage device for storing a second time stamp indicating time information uniquely identifying the most recent write operation involving said physical blocks of memory;
- and
- circuitry for checking for a prescribed relationship between said first time stamp for each of said plurality of blocks of data and said second time stamp the absence of said prescribed relationship for a particular block of data indicating that said particular block of data was not stored during the most recent write operation involving said physical blocks of memory.
A method of storing data in a memory comprising the steps of:
- storing in a plurality of physical blocks of memory, (1) a plurality of blocks of data and (2) a first time stamp indicating time information uniquely identifying the write operation during which each of said plurality of blocks of data was stored, said physical blocks of memory being distributed among a set of physical devices operable as one or more logical units;
- storing in a nonvolatile storage device, a second time stamp indicating time information uniquely identifying the most recent write operation involving said physical blocks of memory;
- and
- checking for a prescribed relationship between said first time stamp for each of said plurality of blocks of data and said second time stamp, the absence of said prescribed relationship for a particular block of data indicating that said particular block of data was not stored during the most recent write operation involving said physical blocks of memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.