Managing Memory Devices in a Storage Network

Abstract

A method for managing memory in a storage network begins by monitoring a service life indicator for a plurality of solid-state memory devices in the storage network and determining whether a memory device of the plurality of solid-state memory devices is approaching an end-of-life event, where end-of-life event is based on a predetermined service life. When the memory device is approaching an end-of-life event the method continues by determining whether to migrate one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device and based on a decision to migrate the one or more encoded data slices, selecting a migration scheme from a plurality of migration schemes for migrating the one or more encoded data slices. Finally, the method continues by facilitating migrating the one or more encoded data slices according to the selected migration scheme.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing memory in a storage network comprises:
 monitoring a service life indicator for a plurality of solid-state memory devices in the storage network;   determining whether a memory device of the plurality of solid-state memory devices is approaching an end-of-life event, wherein the end-of-life event is based on a predetermined service life;   in response to a determination that the memory device is approaching an end-of-life event, determining whether to migrate one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device;   in response to a decision to migrate the one or more encoded data slices, selecting a migration scheme from a plurality of migration schemes for migrating the one or more encoded data slices; and   facilitating migrating the one or more encoded data slices according to the selected migration scheme.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating a memory assignment mechanism for the one or more encoded data slices.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the memory assignment mechanism is a memory assignment table. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining is based at least partially on a historical frequency of access for the memory device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the historical frequency of access pertains to write requests. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the historical frequency of access is determined based on at least one of:
 querying a memory usability level table;   testing a reprovisioned memory device;   determining a memory assignment;   receiving an error message;   retrieving an error message history;   receiving a message;   obtaining historical reliability data of similar reprovisioned memory devices;   a reprovisioned memory device age;   a reprovisioned memory type;   a reprovisioned memory usage level; and   and receiving a command.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to migrate the one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device is based on at least one of:
 a status of the alternative memory device;   a current memory utilization of the alternative memory device;   an available memory indicator of the alternative memory device;   a predetermination;   a lookup;   a message; and   a command.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternative memory is not a solid-state memory device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 migrating the one or more encoded data slices to the alternative memory device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the facilitating migrating the one or more encoded data slices includes instructing a storage network processor module to store the one or more encoded data slices in the alternative memory device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the migrating includes decoding the one or more encoded data slices and re-encoding the one or more encoded data slices according to dispersed storage parameters compatible with the alternative memory device. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device for a storage network comprises:
 one or more network interfaces;   memory including operational instructions; and   a processing module operably coupled to the memory and the one or more network interfaces, the processing module configured to execute the operational instructions to:   monitor a service life indicator for a plurality of solid-state memory devices in the storage network;
 determine whether a memory device of the plurality of solid-state memory devices is approaching an end-of-life event, wherein the end-of-life event is based on a predetermined service life; 
 in response to a determination that the memory device is approaching an end-of-life event, determine whether to migrate one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device; 
 in response to a decision to migrate the one or more encoded data slices, select a migration scheme from a plurality of migration schemes for migrating the one or more encoded data slices; and 
 facilitate migrating the one or more encoded data slices according to the selected migration scheme. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:
 update a memory assignment mechanism for the one or more encoded data slices.   a message and a command.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the memory assignment mechanism is a memory assignment table. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the determining is based at least partially on a historical frequency of access for the memory device. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the historical frequency of access pertains to write requests. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the historical frequency of access is determined based on at least one of:
 querying a memory usability level table;   testing a reprovisioned memory device;   determining a memory assignment;   receiving an error message;   retrieving an error message history;   receiving a message;   obtaining historical reliability data of similar reprovisioned memory devices;   a reprovisioned memory device age;   a reprovisioned memory type;   a reprovisioned memory usage level; and   and receiving a command.   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:
 determine whether to migrate the one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device is based on at least one of:
 a status of the alternative memory device; 
 a current memory utilization of the alternative memory device; 
 an available memory indicator of the alternative memory device; 
 a predetermination; 
 a lookup; 
 a message; and 
 a command. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method for managing memory in a storage network comprises:
 monitoring a service life for a plurality of solid-state memory devices in the storage network;   determining whether one or more memory devices of the plurality of solid-state memory devices is approaching an end-of-life event, wherein the end-of-life event is based on a predetermined service life;   in response to a determination that the memory device is approaching an end-of-life event, determining whether to migrate one or more encoded data slices from the memory device to an alternative memory device;   in response to a decision to migrate the one or more encoded data slices, facilitating migrating the one or more encoded data slices according to a predetermined migration scheme.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined migration scheme is selected from a plurality of migration schemes.