Adaptive one-way SLC/TLC mode conversion in high density SSDs

This paper proposes an adaptive one-way SLC/TLC mode conversion, to balance the capacity and the I/O performance in the use of high density TLC SSDs. Considering the space demand of the early stage of SSD devices is limited and the total amount of valid data basically keeps increasing, we initialize all SSD cells work in the SLC-mode for yielding better I/O performance. Then, when the available capacity of high density SSDs is lower than the space demand of applications, certain SLC-mode cells will be converted into the TLC mode to increase available space of SSDs. To this end, we build a mathematical model to better guide one-way SLC/TLC mode conversions, that can help determining the time and the quantity of conversions from the SLC mode to the TLC mode.

Automated summary

This paper introduces an adaptive one-way SLC/TLC mode conversion to balance the capacity and I/O performance in high density TLC SSDs. By initializing all SSD cells in SLC-mode and converting certain cells to TLC mode when available capacity is lower than application demand, it aims to increase available space in SSDs. A mathematical model is proposed to guide the conversions from SLC mode to TLC mode.