Apparatus, System, and Method for Data Block Usage Information Synchronization for a Non-Volatile Storage Volume

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for data block usage information synchronization for a non-volatile storage volume. The method includes referencing first data block usage information for data blocks of a non-volatile storage volume managed by a storage manager. The first data block usage information is maintained by the storage manager. The method also includes synchronizing second data block usage information managed by a storage controller with the first data block usage information maintained by the storage manager. The storage manager maintains the first data block usage information separate from second data block usage information managed by the storage controller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for managing data, the apparatus comprising:
 a write request receiver module that receives a storage request from a requesting device, the storage request comprising a request to store a data segment in a storage device, the data segment comprising a series of repeated, identical characters or a series of repeated, identical character strings; and   a data segment token storage module that stores a data segment token in the storage device, the data segment token comprising a data segment identifier and a data segment length, the data segment token being substantially free of data from the data segment.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage request comprises a tokendirective to store the data segment token, the storage request being free from data of the data segment. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the data segment token storage module generates the data segment token prior to storing the token, wherein the data segment token storage module generates the data segment token from information in the token directive, the token directive being free from the data segment token. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the token directive comprises the data segment token and the data segment token storage module recognizes that the data segment token represents the data segment. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage request comprises data from the data segment and further comprising a token generation module that generates a data segment token from the data segment, the data segment token created in response to the storage request to store the data segment. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the token generation module resides at the requesting device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a secure erase module that overwrites existing data with characters such that the existing data is non-recoverable, the existing data comprising data of a data segment previously stored on the storage device identified with the same data segment identifier as the data segment identified in the storage request. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the secure erase module further comprises an erase confirmation module that transmits a message indicating that the existing data has been overwritten, the erase confirmation message transmitted in response to the secure erase module overwriting the existing data. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the secure erase module overwrites the existing data during a storage space recovery operation. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the storage request further comprises a request to overwrite the existing data and wherein the secure erase module overwrites the existing data in response to the request to overwrite the existing data. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a read request receiver module that receives a storage request to read the data segment;   a read data segment token module that reads the data segment token corresponding to the data segment requested by the storage request; and   a read request response module that transmits a response to the requesting device, the response generated using the data segment token corresponding to the requested data segment.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the read request response module further comprises a transmit data segment token module that transmits in the response a message to the requesting device, the message comprising at least the data segment identifier and the data segment length, the message being substantially free from data of the data segment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a reconstitute data segment module that reconstitutes data of the data segment using the data segment token, and wherein the read request response module further comprises a transmit data segment module that transmits the reconstituted requested data segment. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the series of repeated, identical characters or character strings indicate that the data segment is empty. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage request further comprises a request to reserve storage space on the storage device, the requested reserved storage space comprising an amount of storage space substantially similar to the data segment length, and further comprising a storage space reservation module that reserves an amount of storage space on the storage device consistent with the request to reserve storage space. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the empty data segment token comprises an entry in an index, the index corresponding to information and data stored on the storage device. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data segment token comprises an object stored on the storage device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data segment token comprises metadata stored on the storage device. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data segment token further comprises at least one of a data segment location indicator, at least one instance of the repeated, identical character, and at least one instance of the repeated, identical character string.