Tracking hot areas of disk drive

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and devices are described for determining use of areas of a disk drive. In one method, a score of an area node of the disk drive may be increased each time the area node is accessed during a time interval of a series of time intervals. When each time interval elapses, each existing score of the area nodes (e.g., scores of area nodes that have non-zero scores) may be decreased. Further, after being decreased, each existing score may be saved. In such a manner, a time series analysis of data accesses may be implemented. The increases in score may account for the number of accesses during a given interval, and the decreases in score may account for time passage (e.g., time-weighting the scores). Thus, more frequent accesses and more recent accesses result in higher accumulated scores for the corresponding area nodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device configured to determine use of areas of a disk drive, comprising:
 a processor;   memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 initiating a time interval; 
 identifying a data access of a first accessed area node of the disk drive; 
 determining whether a score for the first accessed area node exists; 
 upon determining the score for the first accessed area node does not exist, determining whether the first accessed area node overlaps with one or more other area nodes having an existing score, wherein the one or more other area nodes includes a second area node; and 
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, splitting the second area node into at least a first split area node and a second split area node. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the step of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, incrementing the score of the first accessed area node.   
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, maintaining the score of the second area node in each split area node derived from the second area node, including at least the first split area node and the second split area node.   
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the score for the first accessed area node exists, incrementing the score of the first accessed area node by a base score.   
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node does not overlap at least one other area node with an existing score, determining whether the first accessed area node is adjacent to at least one of the one or more other area nodes having an existing score.   
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node is adjacent to a third area node having an existing score, merging the first accessed area node with the third area node and maintaining the score of the third area node for the merged first and third area nodes.   
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node is not adjacent to at least one other area node with an existing score, assigning a base score to the first accessed area node.   
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 determining whether the time interval has elapsed or ended.   
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the time interval has elapsed or ended, decrementing the score of every area node with an existing score, generating an ordered list of every area node ordered according to each decremented score, and reinitiating the time interval.   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the time interval has not elapsed or ended, identifying a data access of a second accessed area node of the disk drive, wherein each of the one or more other area nodes having an existing score are included in a table of hot area candidates.   
     
     
         11 . A method to determine use of areas of a disk drive, comprising:
 initiating a time interval;   identifying a data access of a first accessed area node of the disk drive;   determining whether a score for the first accessed area node exists;   upon determining the score for the first accessed area node does not exist, determining whether the first accessed area node overlaps with one or more other area nodes having an existing score, wherein the one or more other area nodes includes a second area node; and   upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, splitting the second area node into at least a first split area node and a second split area node.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, incrementing the score of the first accessed area node.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, maintaining the score of the second area node in each split area node derived from the second area node, including at least the first split area node and the second split area node.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 upon determining the score for the first accessed area node exists, incrementing the score of the first accessed area node by a base score.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 upon determining the first accessed area node does not overlap at least one other area node with an existing score, determining whether the first accessed area node is adjacent to at least one of the one or more other area nodes having an existing score.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 upon determining the first accessed area node is adjacent to a third area node having an existing score, merging the first accessed area node with the third area node and maintaining the score of the third area node for the merged first and third area nodes.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 upon determining the first accessed area node is not adjacent to at least one other area node with an existing score, assigning a base score to the first accessed area node.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 determining whether the time interval has elapsed or ended;   upon determining the time interval has elapsed or ended, decrementing the score of every area node with an existing score, generating an ordered list of every area node ordered according to each decremented score, and reinitiating the time interval; and   upon determining the time interval has not elapsed or ended, identifying a data access of a second accessed area node of the disk drive, wherein each of the one or more other area nodes having an existing score are included in a table of hot area candidates.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 initiating a time interval;   identifying a data access of a first accessed area node of the disk drive;   determining whether a score for the first accessed area node exists;   upon determining the score for the first accessed area node does not exist, determining whether the first accessed area node overlaps with one or more other area nodes having an existing score, wherein the one or more other area nodes includes a second area node, and wherein each of the one or more other area nodes are included in a table of hot area candidates; and   upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, splitting the second area node into at least a first split area node and a second split area node.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-program product of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 upon determining the first accessed area node overlaps with the second area node, incrementing the score of the first accessed area node.