Intel Corporation

Christopher M McAllen

Christopher J Spiegel

Kurt E Sowa

A method and apparatus for locating data stored in memory are described. According to one embodiment, search data, such as the name of a file or directory to be located in memory, is received, and a hash function is performed on the search data to generate a search hash value. The computer uses the search hash value to search the memory by comparing the search hash value with hash values stored in memory that are associated with stored data, such as file or directory names stored in a directory page in a file structure. When the computer locates a stored hash value that matches the search hash value, it compares the search data with the stored data associated with the stored hash value to validate that the stored data matches the search data. If a data match is confirmed, the stored data has been located and the processing is complete; otherwise the search processing continues by looking for other stored hash values that match the search hash value.

Storing hashed values of data in media to allow faster searches and comparison of data

The present invention comprises a method, apparatus, and machine-readable medium to pre-allocate a space for data. Embodiments of the present invention are designed to pre-allocate a space for data in nonvolatile memory. More specifically, embodiments may provide a reservation for a data write, so sufficient unallocated space can be confirmed as available for the write prior to actually writing the data to the nonvolatile memory.

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Folsom, CA, United States of America

Christopher M McAllen