Methods and systems for formatting storage volumes

A system for formatting storage volumes, comprising:

• a memory device comprising a storage volume, the storage volume comprising a global counter and partitioned into a plurality of storage segments, wherein:
• each storage segment comprises a respective segment counter and is partitioned into a plurality of stripes,
• the global counter and each respective segment counter match at an initial time,
• a match indicates that stripes in each respective segment do not require formatting, and
• a mismatch indicates that the stripes in each respective segment require formatting;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory device, the processor programmed for:
• releasing, from the memory device at a first time, the plurality of storage segments to one or more requesting entities prior to completely reformatting the storage volume,
• incrementing the global counter in response to releasing the plurality of storage segments such that the global counter and each respective segment counter no longer match at the first time, and
• writing data to the plurality of storage segments prior to completely reformatting the storage volume in response to incrementing the global counter.

A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising a computer program product method for formatting storage volumes, the computer storage medium comprising:

• computer program code for creating a storage volume comprising a global counter and partitioned into a plurality of storage segments, wherein:
• each storage segment comprises a respective segment counter and is partitioned into a plurality of stripes,
• the global counter and each respective segment counter match at an initial time,
• a match indicates that stripes in each respective segment do not require formatting, and
• a mismatch indicates that the stripes in each respective segment require formatting;
• computer program code for releasing, from a memory device at a first time, the plurality of storage segments to one or more requesting entities prior to completely reformatting the storage volume;
• computer program code for incrementing the global counter in response to releasing the plurality of storage segments such that the global counter and each respective segment counter no longer match at the first time;
• and
• computer program code for writing data to the plurality of storage segments prior to completely reformatting the storage volume in response to incrementing the global counter.