Architecture of a NVM-based Storage System Using Adaptive LDPC Codes

Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes have been widely used in communications systems due to their high error correction capabilities. Recently these codes are also investigated for being exploited in high performance storage systems, especially when Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technologies are used. The main drawback of using LDPC codes in storage systems with a high number of parallel channels is the increased hardware complexity and cost, especially when variable rate codes are used. In this work, we present an architecture of a NVM-based storage system that dynamically adapts the LDPC's rate to the aging conditions of the storage device in order to maximize its lifetime capacity while keeping low its hardware complexity. In order to decrease the system's complexity we propose a PCIe-based architecture that uses a pool of LDPC decoders shared by all NVM channels and we study its effect on the system's lifetime capacity and the achievable I/O data rate.