Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Symantec Corporation

Powerquest Corporation

Jonathan Ludwig

David Atkisson

Nisha D Talagala

Robert A Wipfel

Russell Robert Stringham

Jim Peterson

Val Arbon

Paul E Madden

Derrick S Shadel

Drex Dixon

Ethan Barnes

Paul Madden

Ann Martin

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for satisfying storage requests while destaging cached data. A monitor module samples a destage rate for a nonvolatile solid-state cache, a total cache write rate for the cache, and a dirtied data rate. The dirtied data rate comprises a rate at which write operations increase an amount of dirty data in the cache. A target module determines a target cache write rate for the cache based on the destage rate, the total cache write rate, and the dirtied data rate to target a destage write ratio. The destage write ratio comprises a predetermined ratio between the dirtied data rate and the destage rate. A rate enforcement module enforces the target cache write rate such that the total cache write rate satisfies the target cache write rate.

Apparatus, system, and method for destaging cached data

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing a cache. A cache interface module provides access to a plurality of virtual storage units of a solid-state storage device over a cache interface. At least one of the virtual storage units comprises a cache unit. A cache command module exchanges cache management information for the at least one cache unit with one or more cache clients over the cache interface. A cache management module manages the at least one cache unit based on the cache management information exchanged with the one or more cache clients.

Apparatus, system, and method for managing a cache

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for persistently storing data objects. An object store index module maintains an object store. The object store associates each data object of a plurality of data objects with a unique key value. A storage module persists object store data defining the object store to a logical block address of the solid-state storage device in response to an update event. The logical block address is a member of a restricted set of logical block addresses. The logical block address is mapped to a location of the object store data on the solid-state storage device. A read module provides a requested data object from the plurality of data objects to a requesting client in response to receiving a read request for the requested data object from the requesting client. The read request comprises the key value associated with the requested data object.

Apparatus, system, and method for a persistent object store

Mechanisms for generating an incremental backup of a set of data blocks while excluding certain files that are less desired to be backed up. Examples of such files include temporary Internet files and the recycle bin. This allows the size of the incremental backup to be reduced significantly since such undesired files are often changed between backups. The incremental backup is constructed by first calculating which data blocks should be included in the incremental backup. The calculation is a function of at least the identity of which if any of the data blocks in a prior snapshot have been or would have been altered as a result of potential file alterations in the prior snapshot, and/or which if any of the data blocks in the subsequent snapshot have been or would have been altered as a result of potential file alterations in the subsequent snapshot.

Incremental backup of partial volumes

The invention provides tools and techniques for running pre-boot code on a computer from a file stored in a file system on the computer. The pre-boot code may include an operating system which is not otherwise installed on the system. For instance, the pre-boot code may be used to boot a DOS operating system on a computer which lacks a DOS hard disk partition. The pre-boot code may contain code to perform operations that are difficult to perform after the operating system is booted, such as code for monitoring the boot process to help debug it. The pre-boot code is obtained from the file without using booted file system code, and is then executed. The code may be obtained by redirecting floppy drive I/O to read the pre-boot code from a copy in memory, or to read it as needed from one or more files on the hard disk.

Booting an operating system or running other pre-boot code from a file stored under a different operating system

Growing community of inventors

Lehi, UT, United States of America

Jonathan Ludwig