Start/Stop Time; Prefetch/Multi-Segmented Cache Control; Cache Operation - Seagate Savvio 10K Product Manual

4.3

Start/stop time

The drive accepts the commands listed in the SAS Interface Manual less than 3 seconds after DC power has
been applied.
If the drive receives a NOTIFY (ENABLE SPINUP) primitive through either port and has not received a START
STOP UNIT command with the START bit equal to 0, the drive becomes ready for normal operations within 20
seconds (excluding the error recovery procedure).
If the drive receives a START STOP UNIT command with the START bit equal to 0 before receiving a NOTIFY
(ENABLE SPINUP) primitive, the drive waits for a START STOP UNIT command with the START bit equal to 1.
After receiving a START STOP UNIT command with the START bit equal to 1, the drive waits for a NOTIFY
(ENABLE SPINUP) primitive. After receiving a NOTIFY (ENABLE SPINUP) primitive through either port, the
drive becomes ready for normal operations within 20 seconds (excluding the error recovery procedure).
If the drive receives a START STOP UNIT command with the START bit and IMMED bit equal to 1 and does
not receive a NOTIFY (ENABLE SPINUP) primitive within 5 seconds, the drive fails the START STOP UNIT
command.
The START STOP UNIT command may be used to command the drive to stop the spindle. Stop time is 30 sec-
onds (maximum) from removal of DC power. There is no power control switch on the drive.
4.4

Prefetch/multi-segmented cache control

The drive provides a prefetch (read look-ahead) and multi-segmented cache control algorithms that in many
cases can enhance system performance. Cache refers to the drive buffer storage space when it is used in
cache operations. To select this feature, the host sends the Mode Select command with the proper values in
the applicable bytes in page 08h. Prefetch and cache operations are independent features from the standpoint
that each is enabled and disabled independently using the Mode Select command; however, in actual opera-
tion, the prefetch feature overlaps cache operation somewhat as described in sections 4.5.1 and 4.5.2.
All default cache and prefetch mode parameter values (Mode Page 08h) for standard OEM versions of this
drive family are given in Table 19.
4.5

Cache operation

Note. Refer to the SAS Interface Manual for more detail concerning the cache bits.
Of the 8,192 kbytes physical buffer space in the drive, approximately 6,900 kbytes can be used as a cache.
The buffer can be divided into logical segments (using Mode Select Page 08h, byte 13) from which data is read
and to which data is written.
The drive keeps track of the logical block addresses of the data stored in each segment of the buffer. If the
cache is enabled (see RCD bit in the SAS Interface Manual ), data requested by the host with a read command
is retrieved from the buffer, if possible, before any disc access is initiated. If cache operation is not enabled, the
buffer (still segmented with the required number of segments) is still used, but only as circular buffer segments
during disc medium read operations (disregarding Prefetch operation for the moment). That is, the drive does
not check in the buffer segments for the requested read data, but goes directly to the medium to retrieve it. The
retrieved data merely passes through some buffer segment on the way to the host. On a cache miss, all data
transfers to the host are in accordance with buffer-full ratio rules. On a cache hit, the drive ignores the buffer-
full ratio rules. See the explanation provided with the information about Mode Page 02h (disconnect/reconnect
control) in the SAS Interface Manual.
The following is a simplified description of the prefetch/cache operation:
Case A—read command is received and the first logical block is already in the cache:
1. Drive transfers to the initiator the first logical block requested plus all subsequent contiguous logical blocks
that are already in the cache. This data may be in multiple segments.
Savvio SAS Product Manual, Rev. D 13