Write Once Read Many Media Methods and Systems

Abstract

A method and/or system for providing for write once read many (WORM) times from at least some addresses of a storage drive that is otherwise manufactured for multiple writes to individual addresses. In at least one embodiment, a WORM area(s) is defined by a START_LBA and an END_LBA and the method uses a HWM_LBA to determine whether a LBA in the WORM area has been written to previously and to prevent previously written to LBA(s) in the WORM area from being rewritten. In at least one embodiment where there are multiple WORM areas, each WORM area has its own respective START_LBA, END_LBA and HWM_LBA.

1 . A method for providing write once ready many times media on a storage drive in communication with an external computing system, said method comprising:
 receiving a Write command with a drive controller where the Write command is sent from the external computing system;   determining with the drive controller whether the Write command is for a LBA within the WORM boundary area on a storage drive media as defined by a START_LBA and an END_LBA;   when the LBA to be written is not within the WORM boundary area, then the drive controller performs the Write command on the storage drive media; and   when the LBA to be written is within the WORM boundary area, then the drive controller
 determines whether the LBA to be written to is greater than a HWM_LBA, 
 when the LBA to be written to is not greater than the HWM_LBA, the drive controller sends an error condition to the external computing device and the drive controller does not perform the Write command, and 
 when the LBA to be written to is greater than the HWM_LBA, the drive controller performs the Write command on the storage drive media and updates the HWM_LBA to equal the last LBA written to as part of the Write command. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the LBA to be written to is greater than the HWM_LBA, the drive controller stores the updated HWM_LBA in at least one of a non-volatile memory and a persistent memory. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising activating the WORM capability upon receiving an activation instruction by the drive controller. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 receiving a single command by the drive controller to set the START_LBA to a lower value and the HWM_LBA and the END_LBA to a higher value in order to at least one of extend the WORM area boundary and write protect additional LBAs in the WORM area; and   setting by the drive controller the START LBA to the lower value and the HVM LBA and the END LBA to the higher value.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the START_LBA is set to equal the lowest LBA present on the drive. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein at the HWM_LBA and the END_LBA is set to equal the highest LBA that can be written to on the drive. 
     
     
         7 . A storage device comprising:
 a physical storage media; and   a drive controller in electrical communication with said physical storage media, said drive controller having encoded thereon:
 first program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to receive a Write command with a drive controller where the Write command is sent from the external computing system; 
 second program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to determine with the drive controller whether the Write command is for a LBA within a WORM boundary area on the physical storage media as defined by a START_LBA and an END_LBA; 
   third program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to perform the Write command on the physical storage media when the LBA to be written to is not within the WORM boundary area; and   fourth program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to perform the following when the LBA to be written is within the WORM boundary area:
 determine whether the LBA to be written to is greater than a HWM_LBA, 
 when the LBA to be written to is not greater than the HWM_LBA, the drive controller sends an error condition to the external computing device and the drive controller does not perform the Write command, and 
 when the LBA to be written to is greater than the HWM_LBA, the drive controller performs the Write command on the physical storage media and updates the HWM_LBA to equal the last LBA written to as part of the Write command. 
   
     
     
         8 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a fifth program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to prevent any LBA present on said physical storage medium from being written to based on a received command. 
     
     
         9 . The storage device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a persistent memory in communication with said drive controller, said persistent memory stores at least one of the HWM_LBA, the START_LBA, and the END_LBA. 
     
     
         10 . The storage device according to  claim 8 , wherein said program instructions are present in a firmware residing on said drive controller. 
     
     
         11 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a fifth program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to prevent writing to at least one LBA present outside of the current WORM boundary area on said physical storage medium based on a received command. 
     
     
         12 . The storage device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a non-volatile storage in communication with said drive controller, said non-volatile storage stores at least one of the HWM_LBA, the START_LBA, and the END_LBA. 
     
     
         13 . The storage device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a persistent memory in communication with said drive controller, said persistent memory stores at least one of the HWM_LBA, the START_LBA, and the END_LBA. 
     
     
         14 . The storage device according to  claim 11 , wherein said program instructions are present in a firmware residing on said drive controller. 
     
     
         15 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a persistent memory in communication with said drive controller, said persistent memory stores at least one of the HWM_LBA, the START_LBA, and the END_LBA. 
     
     
         16 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , wherein said program instructions are present in a firmware residing on said drive controller. 
     
     
         17 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , wherein the physical storage media has multiple WORM areas each with its own HWM_LBA, START_LBA, and END_LBA. 
     
     
         18 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a fifth program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to prevent writing to at least one LBA present outside of the current WORM boundary area on said physical storage medium in response to a Set command received by said drive controller. 
     
     
         19 . The storage device according to  claim 18 , further comprising a persistent memory in communication with said drive controller, said persistent memory stores at least one of the HWM_LBA, the START_LBA, and the END_LBA. 
     
     
         20 . The storage device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a fifth program instructions executable by said drive controller to cause said drive controller to change at least one of the START_LBA and the END_LBA to a LBA outside of the WORM boundary area, or
 said drive controller to disable performance of Write commands on said storage device.