System and method for improving data integrity and memory performance using non-volatile media

A computer system having a file system, the computer system comprising:

• a non-volatile memory for storing data;
• a non-volatile high speed memory device coupled to said non-volatile memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to said non-volatile memory and for issuing a plurality of write commands corresponding to a unit of data to be written to said non-volatile memory, wherein a driver, transparent to said file system, is operable for storing said unit of data into said high speed memory device as said plurality of write commands is received by said driver;
• wherein a flag associated with said unit of data is set to identify whether said unit of data has been written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile memory, wherein said flag remains set through any subsequent power loss event and wherein said flag remains set through any subsequent reset event, and wherein a respective flag is associated with each unit of data stored in said high speed memory device;
• wherein further, in response to one of a power loss event and a reset event and after restoring power, said flag is checked and if said unit of data has not been written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile memory then said unit of data is written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile memory using a single media access operation;
• and wherein in response to a trigger event other than a power loss event and other than a reset event, said flag is checked and if said unit of data has not been written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile memory then said unit of data is written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile media using a single media access operation.

A computer system comprising:

• a non-volatile memory for storing data;
• and
• a high speed non-volatile memory device;
• wherein a file system issues a plurality of write commands corresponding to a unit of data to be written to said non-volatile memory;
• and wherein a driver, transparent to said file system, stores said unit of data into said high speed non-volatile memory device as said plurality of write commands is received by said driver and, in response to a trigger event, writes said unit of data to said non-volatile memory in a single memory access operation;
• wherein a flag associated specifically with said unit of data is set to identify whether said unit of data has been written from said high speed non-volatile memory device to said non-volatile memory, wherein said flag remains set through any subsequent power loss event and wherein said flag remains set through any subsequent reset event, and wherein a respective flag is associated with each unit of data stored in said high speed memory device;
• wherein further, in response to one of a power loss event and a reset event and after restoring power, said flag is checked and if said unit of data has not been written from said high speed memory device to said non-volatile memory then said unit of data is written from said high speed non-volatile memory device to said non-volatile memory using a single media access operation;
• and wherein in response to a trigger event other than a power loss event and other than a reset event, said flag is checked and if said unit of data has not been written from said high speed non-volatile memory device to said non-volatile memory then said unit of data is written from said high speed non-volatile memory device to said non-volatile media using a single media access operation.