Patent ID: 7793061

Claim:
A data storage system comprising: a volatile memory cache including cached write data that has not yet been destaged to a data storage device; a flashed-based memory configured to include: a first area for storing at least a portion of cached write data from the volatile memory cache, and a second area for storing remaining portions of cached write data from the volatile memory cache not stored in the first area upon the occurrence of a vault operation event; and a controller coupled to the volatile memory cache and the flash-based memory, the controller being configured to: operate in a first mode of normal processing of data requests in which cached write data is copied from the volatile memory cache to the first area, and then destaged from the first area to a data storage device, and, operate in a second mode in which remaining portions of cached write data from the volatile memory cache not currently included in the first area are copied to the second area upon the occurrence of a vault operation event; receive a signal indicating a vault operation event; and in response to receiving said signal, operate in said second mode.