Apparatus and method for extending the useful life of a data storage

Abstract

Useful life extension for a data storage system in which either or both of read/write probes and storage areas are components subject to wear caused by the access operations. An access counter counts an access count for each component subject to wear. A data exchange module operates in response to the access count for one of the components subject to wear reaching a first threshold to perform a data exchange in which data stored in a first storage area are exchanged with data stored is a second storage area. When the components subject to wear are the storage areas, the first storage area is the storage area whose access count reached the first threshold value, and the second storage area is a storage area whose access count is less than the first threshold value. When the components subject to wear are the read/write probes, the first storage area is the storage area accessed by the read/write probe whose access count reached the first threshold value, and the second storage area is a storage area accessed by a read/write probe whose access count is less than the first threshold value. An address conversion table rewriting module operates after each data exchange to rewrite part of an address conversion table to assign the physical addresses of the storage areas after the data exchange to logical addresses that correspond to the physical addresses of the storage areas before the data exchange.