A workload-aware flash translation layer enhancing performance and lifespan of TLC/SLC dual-mode flash memory in embedded systems

In this paper, we propose a workload-aware flash translation layer, named Balloon-FTL, for the TLC/SLC dual-mode flash memory, to improve performance and lifespan of the system. We first build a workload identifier module with genetic algorithm to dynamically allocate TLC/SLC capacity based on different workloads, and produce the suitable data allocation to achieve a balanced write distribution in flash memory with low memory access cost. The basic idea is to classify metadata/userdata according to their access pattern, and allocate low-latency SLC and high-density TLC mode blocks for write-intensive metadata and a large quantities userdata, respectively. We then propose a special hybrid mapping strategy for the TLC/SLC dual-mode flash memory to improve the performance. Experimental results show that Balloon-FTL can effectively improve the performance and lifespan of the TLC/SLC dual-mode flash memory in embedded systems.