Methods and systems for performing a read ahead operation using an intelligent storage adapter

A non-transitory, machine readable storage medium storing executable instructions, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

• maintaining a data structure by an adapter to track whether data blocks associated with a logical unit number (LUN) have been written or modified;
• extracting a starting logical block address (LBA) for executing a read request for reading data stored using the LUN;
• generating a LBA range for a read ahead operation that is used to predict data that may be read subsequent to the read request;
• determining if blocks associated with the LBA range for the read ahead operation have been written or modified;
• only reading ahead the blocks associated with the LBA range, when the blocks have been written to or modified;
• and
• temporarily storing read ahead data at a cache LUN maintained by the adapter.

A system comprising:

• a processor executing instructions out of a memory for:
• maintaining a data structure by an adapter to track whether data blocks associated with a logical unit number (LUN) have been written or modified;
• extracting a starting logical block address (LBA) for executing a read request for reading data stored using the LUN;
• generating a LBA range for a read ahead operation that is used to predict data that may be read subsequent to the read request;
• determining if blocks associated with the LBA range for the read ahead operation have been written or modified;
• only reading ahead the blocks associated with the LBA range, when the blocks have been written to or modified;
• and
• temporarily storing read ahead data at a cache LUN maintained by the adapter.