Disc storage subsystem having improved reliability

• US 20030193776A1
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Bicknell, Bruce A., Kawlra, Krish L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,831,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/125 the apparatus comprising a plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. modular arrangements, arrays of disc drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis

Abstract

A disc storage subsystem includes a housing, at least one disc drive assembly received in a front portion of the housing, first and second controllers, and an intermediate electronic component. The disc drive assembly includes a carrier supporting a disc drive having an Advanced Technology Architecture (ATA) data interface. The first and second controllers each include a data port corresponding to the disc drive. The intermediate electronic includes multiplexing electronics having first and second data communication paths. The first data communication path provides electronic communication between the data port of the first controller and the data interface of the disc drive. The second data communication path provides electronic communication between the data port of the second controller and the data interface of the disc drive. The multiplexing electronics selectively opens and closes the first and second data communication paths in response to at least one control signal.

Claims

1. A disc storage subsystem comprising:

a housing;

a disc drive assembly received in a front portion of the housing and including a disc drive contained in a carrier, the disc drive having an Advanced Technology Architecture (ATA) data interface including a connector;

first and second controllers, each having a data port; and

an intermediate electronic component including multiplexing electronics having a first data communication path providing electronic communication between the data port of the first controller and the data interface of the disc drive, and a second data communication path providing electronic communication between the data port of the second controller and the data interface of the disc drive, the multiplexing electronics selectively opening and closing the first and second data communication paths in response to at least one control signal.

2. The disc storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the data interface of the disc drive is a serial ATA interface or a parallel ATA interface.

3. The disc storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the control signals include first and second interface enable control signals from the respective first and second controllers for requesting access to the data interface of the disc drive.

4. The disc storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the multiplexing electronics includes a status signal output indicative of whether the first or second data communication path is open.

5. The disc storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein:

the intermediate electronic component includes a disc drive connector mated to the connector of the disc drive, and a midplane connector; and

the disc storage subsystem includes a midplane card adjacent midplane mounts of the housing, the midplane card having a front connector on a front side mated to the midplane connector of the intermediate electronic component, and first and second rear connectors respectively mated to the data ports of the first and second controllers.

6. The disc storage subsystem of claim 5, including spacers between a rear side of the midplane mounts and the midplane card, whereby the midplane card is displaced from the midplane mounts toward a rear portion of the housing.

7. The disc storage subsystem of claim 6, including a plurality of fasteners each extending through an aperture of the midplane card, a bore of one of the spacers, and an aperture of one of the midplane mounts to thereby facilitate securing the midplane card to the midplane mounts.

8. The disc storage subsystem of claim 6, wherein the spacers each include a cylindrical member.

9. The disc storage subsystem of claim 6, wherein the spacers are formed integral with a planar member.

10. A disc storage subsystem comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of disc drive assemblies, each received in a front portion of the housing and including a disc drive contained in a carrier, each disc drive having an Advanced Technology Architecture (ATA) data interface including a connector;

a first controller having a plurality of data ports, each of which correspond to one of the disc drives;

a second controller having a plurality of data ports, each of which correspond to one of the disc drives; and

a plurality of intermediate electronic components, each including multiplexing electronics having a first data communication path providing electronic communication between one of the data ports of the first controller and the data interface of the corresponding disc drive, and a second data communication path providing electronic communication between one of the data ports of the second controller and the data interface of the corresponding disc drive, the multiplexing electronics of each intermediate electronic component selectively opening and closing the first and second data communication paths in response to at least one control signal.

11. The disc storage subsystem of claim 10, wherein the data interface of the disc drive is a serial ATA interface or a parallel ATA interface.

12. The disc storage subsystem of claim 10, wherein the control signals include first and second interface enable control signals from the respective first and second controllers for requesting access to the data interface of the corresponding disc drive.

13. The disc storage subsystem of claim 10, wherein the multiplexing electronics of each intermediate electronic component includes a status signal output indicative of whether the first or second data communication path is open.

14. The disc storage subsystem of claim 10 wherein:

the intermediate electronic components each include a disc drive connector mated to the connector of the disc drive, and a midplane connector; and

the disc storage subsystem includes a midplane card positioned adjacent midplane mounts of the housing, the midplane card having a plurality of front connectors on a front side each mated to the midplane connector of one of the intermediate electronic components, and first and second rear connectors respectively mated to the data ports of the first and second controllers.

15. The disc storage subsystem of claim 14, including spacers between a rear side of the midplane mounts and the midplane card, whereby the midplane card is displaced from the midplane mounts toward a rear portion of the housing.

16. The disc storage subsystem of claim 15, including a plurality of fasteners, each extending through an aperture of the midplane card, a bore of one of the spacers, and an aperture of one of the midplane mounts to thereby facilitate securing midplane cards in the midplane mounts.

17. The disc storage subsystem of claim 15, wherein the spacers each include a cylindrical member.

18. The disc storage subsystem of claim 15, wherein the spacers are formed integral with a planar member.

19. A method of improving reliability of a disc storage subsystem including a housing having a front portion configured to receive at least one disc drive assembly, including a carrier containing a disc drive having an Advanced Technology Architecture (ATA) data interface, through which data communication is established with a single controller, the method comprising steps of:

a) providing an intermediate electronic component including multiplexing electronics having a disc drive interface, first and second controller interfaces, a first data communication path providing electronic communication between the disc drive interface and the first controller interface, and a second data communication path providing electronic communication between the disc drive interface and the second controller interface;

b) establishing an electronic communication link between the disc drive interface of the intermediate electronic component and the data interface of the disc drive;

c) establishing electronic communication links between the first and second controller interfaces of the intermediate electronic component and data ports of first and second controllers, respectively; and

d) selectively opening and closing the first and second data communication paths in response to at least one control signal using the multiplexing electronics.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the establishing step c) includes steps of:

c)(1) providing a midplane card having a front connector on a front side and a pair of rear connectors on a rear side;

c)(2) connecting a midplane connector of the first and second controller interfaces of the intermediate electronic component to the front connector of the midplane card; and

c)(3) connecting the pair of rear connectors of the midplane card to the data ports of the first and second controllers;

whereby the electronic communication links are established between the intermediate electronic component and the data ports of the first and second controllers.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the establishing step c) includes steps of:

c)(1) providing a midplane card having a front connector on a front side and a pair of rear connectors on a rear side;

c)(2) providing midplane mounts at a middle portion of the housing;

c)(3) installing spacers between a rear side of the midplane mounts and the front side of the midplane card;

c)(4) securing the midplane card to the midplane mounts;

c)(5) connecting a midplane connector of the first and second controller interfaces of the intermediate electronic component to the front connector of the midplane card; and

c)(6) connecting the pair of rear connectors of the midplane card to the data ports of the first and second controllers;

whereby the electronic communication links are established between the intermediate electronic component and the data ports of the first and second controllers.

22. A disc storage subsystem comprising:

a housing;

a disc drive assembly received in a front portion of the housing and including a disc drive contained in a carrier, the disc drive having an Advanced Technology Architecture (ATA) data interface including a connector;

first and second controllers, each having a data port configured to receive data from the disc drive; and

a multiplexing means for selectively establishing electronic communication links between the data ports of the first and second controllers and the data interface of the disc drive.

23. The disc storage subsystem of claim 22, wherein the multiplexing means includes an intermediate electronic component having multiplexing electronics including a first data communication path providing electronic communication between the data port of the first controller and the data interface of the disc drive, and a second data communication path providing electronic communication between the data port of the second controller and the data interface of the disc drive, the multiplexing electronics selectively opening and closing the first and second data communication paths in response to at least one control signal.