Data Storage Apparatus

• US 20100172087A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexsan UK Limited
• Original Assignee: Nexsan Technologies Ltd. (StorCentric, Inc.)
• Inventors: Randall, Andrew Paul George, Belcher, David Ian, Freeman, Stephen, Bryers, Alastair, Jeffery, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.330
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/02 Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/142 by air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/00 Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts

Abstract

Apparatus for storing data and supplying stored data comprising a main housing containing control circuitry for controlling signals to a plurality of disk drives. The main housing has a plurality of mounting mechanisms each configured to support a unit of a first type. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of cables each having a first connector for connecting to a unit of the first type for providing signals from the control circuitry. The apparatus has a first unit, of a first type, having a plurality of second connectors each connected to a disk drive and a fan providing a flow of air for cooling the disk drives and the control circuitry. The first unit is connected to a first one of the cables and mounted in a first one of the mounting mechanisms such that the first unit is mounted to slide into the main housing. The apparatus also has a second unit, of a second type, supported by a second one of the mounting mechanisms and mounted to slide into the main housing. The second unit is connected to a second one of the cables and has a fan providing a flow of air for cooling the control circuitry. The second unit is removable from the main housing and replaceable by a unit of the first type.

Claims

1. Apparatus for storing data and supplying stored data, said apparatus comprising:

a main housing containing control circuitry for controlling signals to a plurality of disk drives, said main housing having a plurality of mounting mechanisms each configured to support a unit of a first type;

a plurality of cables each having a first connector for connecting to a unit of said first type for providing signals from said control circuitry;

a first unit, of a first type, having a plurality of second connectors each connected to a disk drive and a fan providing a flow of air for cooling the disk drives and said control circuitry, said first unit being connected to a first one of said cables and mounted in a first one of said mounting mechanisms such that said first unit is mounted to slide into said main housing; and

a second unit, of a different second type, supported by a second one of said mounting mechanisms and mounted to slide into said main housing, said second unit being connected to a second one of said cables and having a fan providing a flow of air for cooling said control circuitry, wherein said second unit is removable from said main housing and replaceable by a unit of said first type.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second unit does not contain disk drives.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second unit does not contain connectors for connecting to disk drives.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second unit contains disk drives of a different type to the disk drives of said first unit.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the disk drives of said first unit have a first form factor and said second unit contains disk drives having a different form factor to said first form factor.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the disk drives of said first unit are configured to communicate via a first interface and said second unit contains disk drives configured to communicate via a different second interface.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first interface is a SAS interface and said second interface is a SATA interface.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first unit comprises a channel in which said disk drives of said first unit are located, and said air flow provided by the fan of said first unit is provided through said channel.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said channel comprises a U-shaped channel and a lid is fitted to said U-shaped channel.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting mechanism comprises a first rail mounted within said main housing, and each said first units and second units are provided with a second rail arranged to co-operate with one of said first rails to allow said second rail to slide with respect to said first rail.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein each one of said first units and said second units each comprises a U-shaped channel having a pair of side walls and each side wall has one of said second rails mounted thereon.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein each one of said first units and said second units each comprises a U-shaped channel having a pair of side walls, one of said side walls having one of said second rails mounted thereon at a first height and the other one of said side walls having one of said second rails mounted thereon at a second different height.

13. Apparatus for storing data and supplying stored data, said apparatus comprising:

a main housing;

a plurality of units, each said unit having a plurality of connectors each connected to a data storage element, and each said unit being mounted to slide within said main housing such that each one of said units is slidable from out of said main housing to provide access to said data storage elements of said unit; and

a fan configured to provide a flow of air for cooling the data storage elements,

wherein each said unit comprises a channel such that said data storage elements are located within said channel, and said fan is arranged to provide a flow of air though said channel when said unit is located within said main housing and when said unit is slid out from within said main housing.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said channel comprises a U-shaped channel and a lid is fitted to said U-shaped channel to form a tube.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said main housing has a plurality of mounting mechanisms each configured to support one of said units.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said mounting mechanisms each comprise a first rail mounted within said main housing, and each one of said units are provided with a second rail arranged to co-operate with one of said first rails to allow said second rail to slide with respect to said first rail.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein each one of said units comprises a U-shaped channel having a pair of side walls and each side wall has one of said second rails mounted thereon.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein each one of said units comprises a U-shaped channel having a pair of side walls, one of said side walls having one of said second rails mounted thereon at a first height and the other one of said side walls having one of said second rails mounted thereon at a second different height.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein each one of said units comprises a fan.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein each one of said units comprises two respective sets of fans, each set of fans being configured to provide a flow of air to all data storage elements within the respective unit, such that on failure of one of said sets of fans the data storage elements continue to be cooled by the other set of fans.

21. Apparatus for storing data and supplying stored data, said apparatus comprising:

a main housing;

an electric power supply located within said main housing;

a panel located within said main housing, said panel supporting a plurality of electric connectors for connecting said power supply to other component parts of said apparatus;

a plurality of units, each said unit comprising a plurality of data storage elements, each said unit being mounted to slide within said main housing such that each one of said units is slidable from out of said main housing to provide access to said data storage elements of said unit, and

a plurality of cable modules, each module comprising a cable having a first connector at a first end configured to connect to one of said units and a second connector at a second end configured to connect with one of said electric connectors supported by said panel, and a moveable rigid structure supporting said second connector and providing a barrier preventing manual access to said panel thereby allowing said second connector to be disconnected by manually moving said rigid structure.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said cable module comprises a handle attached to said rigid structure.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein each unit comprises a fan providing a flow of air for cooling the data storage elements within that unit.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said cable module comprises a device arranged to move from (i) a first configuration in which said rigid structure is allowed to move to an operational position in which said second connector is connected with one of said electric connectors supported by said panel, and (ii) a second configuration in which said device prevents said rigid structure from moving to said operational position.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said device is arranged to automatically move to said second configuration when said rigid structure is moved from said operational position.

26. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein each said cable module comprises a respective retractable guide member configured to extend along a portion of the respective cable as the unit slid from out of said main housing.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said retractable guide member is configured to roll up while the respective unit is slid back into said main housing.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein said guide member is an elongate shape configured to bend easily in one direction and less easily in an opposite direction, so that said guide member bends in a first direction when rolling up, and resists bending in the opposite direction when guiding said cable.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein said guide member comprises a spring, such that force generated by the spring urges said guide member to a retracted configuration.

30. Electronic apparatus for mounting into a rack, said electronic apparatus comprising:

a box;

a wall element located within said box to define a first compartment to one side of said wall element and a second compartment to the other side of said wall element;

a first unit mounted on slide rails within said first compartment; and

a second unit mounted on slide rails within said second compartment, wherein said wall element supports a first slide rail supporting said first unit and a second support rail supporting said second unit, and said first slide rail is supported at a first height and said second slide rail is supported at a second different height, whereby the horizontal spacing between said first and second slide rails is reduced.

31. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 in which said wall element defines a first recess shaped to receive said first slide rail and a second recess shaped to receive said second slide rail.

32. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 in which said wall element is formed from extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy.

33. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 in which a second wall element separates said second compartment from a third compartment containing a third unit, and said second wall element supports a third slide rail at said first height and a fourth slide rail at said second different height.

34. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said first unit is provided with a first inner slide rail at a first height on a first side and a second inner slide rail at a second different height on a second side.

35. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said box comprises an upper wall formed from an aluminum alloy extrusion defining a first slot, and a lower wall formed from an aluminum alloy extrusion defining a second slot, and said wall element has an upper edge located in said first slot and a lower edge located in said second slot.

36. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said first unit comprises a U-shaped channel and said slide rails supporting said first unit are attached to sides of said U-shaped channel.

37. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said first unit comprises a plurality of electrical connectors each configured to connect to a corresponding disk drive.

38. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said box has a left side wall and a right side wall, said side walls are formed from extruded metal defining a recess and a slide rail is located within each of said recesses.

39. The electronic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said box has a left side wall and a right side wall, said side walls are formed from extruded metal defining a groove such that a groove extends along an outside surface of each of said left and right side walls for receiving a correspondingly shaped rail that is horizontally mounted within a rack

40. The electronic apparatus of claim 38 wherein said box has a left side wall and a right side wall, said side walls are formed from extruded metal defining a groove such that a groove extends along an outside surface of each of said left and right side walls for receiving a correspondingly shaped rail that is horizontally mounted within a rack, and said grooves are provided at a different height to said recesses.

41. Electronic apparatus for mounting into a rack, said electronic apparatus comprising a box having a left side wall and a right side wall, wherein said side walls are formed from extruded metal defining a groove such that a groove extends along an outside surface of each of said left and right side walls for receiving a correspondingly shaped rail that is horizontally mounted within a rack.

42. The electronic apparatus of claim 41 wherein said grooves have an inwardly extending lip for locating behind an outwardly extending lip on a rail horizontally mounted within a rack.

43. The electronic apparatus of claim 41 wherein said grooves each have a pair of substantially parallel sides and an inwardly extending lip extending along each of said sides.

44. The electronic apparatus of claim 41 mounted substantially horizontally within a rack, wherein a pair of rails are mounted within said rack, and a corresponding one of said pair of rails is located within each of said grooves in said side walls.

45. The electronic apparatus of claim 44, wherein said grooves have an inwardly extending lip located behind an outwardly extending lip of the corresponding one of said rails.

46. The electronic apparatus of claim 44, wherein said rail is formed from extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy, and said rail has a T-shaped cross section.