Data storage apparatus

• US 20020159311A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanmina-SCI Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanmina Sci-Usa, Inc.
• Inventors: OʼSullivan, Hans, Harnett, Derek Christopher, Coffey, Aedan Diarmuid Cailean, Symons, Timothy James
• Granted Patent: US 6,993,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1816 Testing

Abstract

A data storage apparatus arranged to provide redundancy in a storage enclosure containing multiple Serial ATA disk drives is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one disk drive of a kind having a single port for the input and output of serial data and at least two disk drive controllers each having data transmit and receive paths connected in common to the single port. The apparatus then switches control to either controller if the other should fail.

Claims

1. Data storage apparatus comprising at least one disk drive of a kind having a single port for the input and output of serial data, at least two disk drive controllers each having data transmit and receive paths connected in common to the single port, and means for switching control to either controller if the other should fail.

2. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transmit paths of the controllers are connected to the disk drive via respective inputs of a first changeover switching device.

3. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the transmit path of a first controller is connected to the respective input of the first changeover switching device via an input of a second changeover switching device, and wherein the receive path of the second controller is connected to the second controller via another input of the second changeover switching device.

4. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receive paths of the controllers are connected to the respective controllers via a buffer.

5. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switching is effected solely by software in the controllers.

6. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the disk drive(s) are serial ATA device(s).

7. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein a redundant path is provided by the addition of some low cost chips housed on a circuit board in a Serial ATA storage enclosure.

8. Data storage apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the circuit board comprises a printed circuit board arranged to attach to the rear of the disk drive.